Chairman Goodlatte Statement at Markup of the Rapid DNA Act

Chairman Goodlatte: Today we consider H.R. 320, the Rapid DNA Act of 2015. The House Judiciary Committee works on many important issues, but few are more important than making sure that innocent arrestees are promptly released and that culpable suspects are not re-released to strike again.  Rapid DNA has the potential to do both and, as such, can be an important tool for law enforcement and a key component of this committee’s ongoing efforts on criminal justice reform. With Rapid DNA technology, it is possible to test the DNA of arrestees as soon as they are in custody, and determine within hours whether they match the DNA profile from the crime scene, or from other, earlier crimes. This technology would also enable police to check the federal DNA database to see if an arrestee matches the DNA profile from previous crimes for which a DNA sample exists, but no known suspect has been identified.  Rather than waiting weeks for a DNA sample to be processed and risk releasing a suspect back into the public to potentially re-offend, police would be able to determine at initial booking if the suspect is a person of interest in other crimes. On June 18, 2015, the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations held a hearing on the Rapid DNA Act, sponsored by Crime Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner. During that hearing, the Subcommittee heard from an FBI official, a crime lab administrator, and a rape victim advocate who all emphasized the need for Rapid DNA technology. I believe this is necessary, responsible legislation that will aid law enforcement and protect American citizens by keeping offenders off the streets.  I thank Chairman Sensenbrenner for sponsoring this important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. For more on today’s markup, click here.