Jon Kyl: “this is a historic time because we are about to commence a debate on an amendment that has passed through the Senate…”

“this is a historic time because we are about to commence a debate on an amendment that has passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee but has not yet come to the floor of the Senate; that is, an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect the rights of victims of violent crime. I am very pleased this morning, along with Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, to be making the primary case in support of this amendment. I would like to make some opening remarks and then turn our opening time over to Senator Feinstein for a discussion of the history of this amendment and much of the articulation of the need for it. But let me make a few preliminary comments. First of all, we have heard a little bit about passion on a related matter. I can tell you there is nothing about which I am more passionate these days than supporting the rights of victims of violent crime. According to the Department of Justice, there are over 8 million victims of violent crime in our society every year. Not enough is being done to protect the rights of these victims. They have no constitutional rights, unlike the defendants. Those accused of crime have more than a dozen rights which have been largely secured by amendments to the U.S. Constitution. They, of course, trump any rights that States, either by statute or State constitutional provision, grant to the victims of crime.”