U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, joined his colleagues in the House of Representatives on Tuesday in voting to advance H.R. 5578, the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act of 2016, by a unanimous 399-0 vote. The bipartisan bill, introduced by U.S. Reps. Mimi Walters, R-California, and Zoe Lofgren, D-California, provides stronger protections and greater access to legal remedies for survivors of sexual assaults.  

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), on average there are 288,820 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year here in the United States. Yet, oftentimes rape kits, which contain key pieces of evidence, are never tested. Under current law, some basic rights that protect survivors of sexual assaults vary greatly between each state and federal statue.

“Sexual assault survivors have been through enough. Their kits and their rights must be protected by law,” said Upton. “The survivors have faced a patchwork of rules that didn’t always provide the help and information they need to ensure a fair legal process. The House of Representatives on Tuesday smoothed the way for them to maintain their basic rights as they seek justice.”

H.R. 5578 ensures that that sexual assault survivors in federal criminal cases have a right to; a sexual assault evidence kit (rape kit), be notified in writing before the kit is destroyed, request preservation of the kit, and be informed of important results from a forensic examination. The legislation also requires the U.S. Attorney General and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to convene a joint working group to determine best practices regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of forensic evidence.