Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Respect for Child Survivors Act. As Co-Founder and Chairman of the Congressional Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus, I am proud to put forward legislation that helps protect the most vulnerable in our communities. This important legislation was brought about, in part, by the failings of the FBI during its handling of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse cases. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General found that the FBI did not properly handle or document evidence gathering with USA Gymnastics or the victims and did not notify state or local authorities of the sexual assault allegations. This bill is intended to prevent similar situations from happening with future investigations. The legislation will require the FBI to utilize multidisciplinary teams, made up of trauma-informed experts, when interviewing a victim who reports child abuse or trafficking. The use of these teams would prevent further traumatizing victims. In addition, the bill's information sharing and case review provisions would ensure accountability so cases are not mishandled in the future. This legislation also includes another bill I am proud to lead, the Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA) Reauthorization Act of 2021. This legislation will reauthorize funding for Children's Advocacy Centers through the Victims of Child Abuse Act through 2028.…”