PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 21, 2002
Debbie Smith Act - Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to eligible States to carry out sexual assault nurse examiner programs and to train law enforcement personnel and first responders in the handling of sexual assault cases and the collection and use of DNA samples for forensic evidence.Provides that for a State to be eligible to receive a grant, the chief executive officer of the State shall submit to the Attorney General an application which shall include a certification that the State shall comply with specified quality assurance and proficiency testing standards.Sets forth provisions regarding restrictions on the use of funds and expenditure records.Amends the DNA Identification Act of 1994 to require the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to issue (and revise periodically) standards for collecting and processing, for use as forensic evidence, samples on which DNA analysis may be carried out.Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to eligible States to carry out DNA analyses of samples from crime scenes for inclusion in the FBI's Combined DNA Index System. Sets forth provisions regarding State eligibility, restrictions on uses of funds, and expenditure records.
People & committees
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA] · D–WA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2281)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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