Deborah Pryce: “as a woman, a former prosecutor and judge, and Federal representative for Ohio's 15th district, I rise today in support…”

“as a woman, a former prosecutor and judge, and Federal representative for Ohio's 15th district, I rise today in support of H.R. 5107, the Justice For All Act. Sadly, for far too many women, the grief of rape and other forms of sexual assault is compounded by the lack of apprehension, prosecution and conviction of the perpetrator. As my community has recently witnessed first hand with the arrest of accused serial rapist Robert Patton, Jr. in the Columbus area, linking DNA obtained at rape scenes to the DNA of felons already convicted of crimes through the FBI's combined DNA Index System is often the best change we have to close a painful chapter in the lives of women who have been the victims of rape and sexual assault. It is also the best chance to put rapists behind bars before they have a chance to repeat their crimes. Last year, the Federal government provided $100 million to speed up the processing of untested DNA through the Department of Justice and the DNA Index System. And recently, the House passed legislation to increase this amount by over 75 percent to $176 million--mirroring the President's budget request. Funding is critical, but it is only part of the solution. Making needed improvements to the way the system operates is also essential. That's why I signed on as an original cosponsor and plan to vote for the Justice for All Act today.”