Res. No. 471 Title Resolution calling upon the Congress of the United States to pass H.R. 2874 and its companion bill, S. 2055, also known as the "Debbie Smith Act", and President Bush to sign this legislation into law. Body By Council Members Sears, Avella, Gennaro, Nelson, Weprin and DeBlasio Whereas, In March of 1989, Debbie Smith, a Virginia woman, was brutally raped in the woods behind her house; for six years, Debbie lived in fear, not knowing who the assailant was or whether he would returd; and Whereas, It took six years before the Commonwealth of Virginia finally entered the offender's genetic sample into its DNA database, showing an instant match with the offender in the Smith case; and Whereas, It is estimated that nationwide, between 150,000 and 500,000 rapes have gone unpunished because evidence from rape kits has been sitting on shelves in police stations around the country for years; many police departments simply lack the funds and training to proceed with DNA testing; and Whereas, The "Debbie Smith Act" would address this problem by authorizing federal grants to carry out DNA analyses of samples from crime scenes and to enter the data into state databases of convicted offenders that are linked in the national Combined DNA Index System, standardizing forensic evidence collection practices by hinging states' funding eligibility on their adherence to uniform standards, and helping states establish sexual assault nurse examiner programs and training of law enforcement and other first responders on handling of sexual assault cases and forensic evidence; and Whereas, This legislation would revolutionize the way in which sexual assaults are addressed by law enforcement in America, helping ensure that these predators are punished for their crimes and that potential rapists are deterred from such actions; now, therefor, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Congress of the United States to pass H.R. 2874 and its companion bill S. 2055, also known as the "Debbie Smith Act", and President Bush to sign this legislation into law. LS#817 MC