H.R. 5578 114th Congress House

Survivors' Bill of Rights Act of 2016

Official title: To establish certain rights for sexual assault survivors, and for other purposes.

Introduced: June 24, 2016 See on congress.gov

Crime and Law Enforcement Assault and harassment offensesCongressional oversightCrime victimsCrimes against women

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationDepartment of JusticeEvidence and witnessesExecutive agency funding and structureGeneticsGovernment information and archivesLaw enforcement administration and fundingMedical tests and diagnostic methodsSex offenses

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Everywhere this bill has been 25 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Oct 7, 2016

Signed by President.

Oct 7, 2016

Became Public Law No: 114-236.

Oct 3, 2016

Presented to President.

Sep 28, 2016

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Sep 28, 2016

Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

Sep 28, 2016

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.

Sep 28, 2016

Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6198-6199)

Sep 28, 2016

Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S6198-6199)

Sep 7, 2016

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sep 6, 2016

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 399 - 0 (Roll no. 479). (text: CR H5045-5046)

Sep 6, 2016

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Sep 6, 2016

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5071)

Sep 6, 2016

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

Sep 6, 2016

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5578.

Sep 6, 2016

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5045-5049)

Sep 6, 2016

Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

Sep 6, 2016

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 546.

Sep 6, 2016

Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.

Sep 6, 2016

Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 114-707, Part I.

Jul 7, 2016

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Jul 7, 2016

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Jul 5, 2016

Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Discharged.

Jun 30, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Jun 24, 2016

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jun 24, 2016

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Sep 6, 2016	House · vote #479	On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass	Passed	399–0	See who voted →

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Latest action October 7, 2016

Became Public Law No: 114-236.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Survivors' Bill of Rights Act of 2016

This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish statutory rights for sexual assault survivors, including the right to: (1) not be prevented from receiving a forensic medical examination and not be charged for an examination; (2) have a sexual assault evidence collection kit (i.e., a rape kit) preserved for 20 years or the maximum applicable statute of limitations, whichever is shorter; (3) receive written notification prior to destruction or disposal of a rape kit; and (4) be informed of these rights and policies.

Additionally, it makes statutory crime victims' rights applicable to sexual assault survivors.

The term "sexual assault" means any nonconsensual sexual act prohibited by federal, state, or tribal law, including when a victim lacks capacity to consent.

Funds made available to the Crime Victims Fund under the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 must be used to carry out the requirements concerning these rights, subject to specified exceptions.

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 must establish a working group to develop, coordinate, and disseminate best practices regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of forensic evidence.

Related & companion bills 3

Bill text 6 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Enrolled Bill Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Public Law Formatted Text PDF United States Legislative Markup
Referred in Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Reported in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 4

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
Energy and Commerce Committee
House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee
Senate

Cosponsors 40

Pennsylvania · Jul 21, 2016

California · Jul 11, 2016

Peters, Scott H.

California · Jul 8, 2016

California · Jul 1, 2016

DeLauro, Rosa L.

Connecticut · Jun 28, 2016

Lieu, Ted

California · Jun 28, 2016

Posey, Bill

· Jun 28, 2016

Wagner, Ann

Missouri · Jun 28, 2016

Beyer, Donald S.

Virginia · Jun 24, 2016

Brooks, Susan

· Jun 24, 2016

Cohen, Steve

Tennessee · Jun 24, 2016

Washington · Jun 24, 2016

Herrera Beutler, Jaime

New York · Jun 24, 2016

Johnson, Henry C. "Hank"

Georgia · Jun 24, 2016

Keating, William R.

Massachusetts · Jun 24, 2016

Lofgren, Zoe

California · Jun 24, 2016

Lowenthal, Alan

· Jun 24, 2016

Meeks, Gregory W.

New York · Jun 24, 2016

Nadler, Jerrold

New York · Jun 24, 2016

Norton, Eleanor Holmes

District of Columbia · Jun 24, 2016

New York · Jun 24, 2016

Tsongas, Niki

· Jun 24, 2016

Wasserman Schultz, Debbie

Florida · Jun 24, 2016

Cite this page click to expand

APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5578: Survivors' Bill of Rights Act of 2016. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-5578/

MLA

"H.R. 5578: Survivors' Bill of Rights Act of 2016." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-5578/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 5578, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-5578/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 5578: Survivors' Bill of Rights Act of 2016](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-5578/)