H.R. 5571: Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-06-22 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-06-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act

Plain summary

Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish statutory rights for sexual assault survivors, including the right to: (1) receive a forensic medical examination at no cost; (2) have a sexual assault evidence collection kit (i.e., rape kit) preserved for the maximum applicable statute of limitations; (3) receive written notification prior to destruction or disposal of a rape kit; and (4) be informed of the rights and policies under this section. Additionally, it makes statutory crime victims' rights applicable to sexual assault survivors. The bill amends the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 to include information about sexual assault services, programs, and providers in the description of services provided to victims. The bill amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to authorize the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of Justice Programs to make grants to states to develop sexual assault survivors' rights and policies and to disseminate written notice of such rights and policies to medical centers, hospitals, forensic examiners, sexual assault service providers, law enforcement agencies, and other state entities. DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must establish a joint working group to develop, coordinate, and disseminate best practices regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of forensic evidence. For purposes of this bill, the term "sexual assault survivor" includes a legal representative acting on behalf of a deceased victim of sexual assault.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23] · 19 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Judy Chu (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Pete Aguilar (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23] reported raising $3.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr5571.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr5571 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114