The Texas Department of Public Safety has nearly $3.4 million more to continue work to eliminate the backlog of rape kits. The money comes from the U.S. Justice Department as part of the Debbie Smith Act, which U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) pushed to pass after learning about the national backlog of rape kits.
Cornyn insists victims are not being protected as long as rape kits go untested. He helped pass the Debbie Smith Act in 2004 and worked to reauthorize it in 2008 and 2014 to keep the program funded.
Smith is a rape survivor who finally got justice after her rape kit sat untested for five years. Once it was finally tested her attacker was identified and eventually convicted of her rape.
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