WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced today that Harris County and the Houston Forensic Science Center were awarded federal grants totaling $3,264,269 to reduce the backlog of DNA testing and analysis to aid law enforcement efforts in investigating, prosecuting, and solving crimes. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Justice as part of the Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program and was authorized by Sen. Cornyn’s Debbie Smith Act. Sen. Cornyn has long fought to eliminate the backlog of untested forensic case samples, including rape kits, and has successfully passed four separate laws to help mitigate this ongoing crisis.
“DNA analysis is a critical tool used to identify perpetrators, exonerate innocent suspects, and solve cases,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I am proud of the work we’ve done to reduce the backlog of DNA tests over the years, but I will not rest until every victim and family in Texas has the answers they’re looking for and the justice they deserve.”
| Recipient | Award Amount |
| Harris County | $1,141,952 |
| Houston Forensic Science Center | $2,122,317 |
TOTAL |
$3,264,269 |
Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Intelligence, and Judiciary Committees.