Cheers to The Tennessean for its editorial today urging Congress to pass the Innocence Protection Act..

Since 1973, 107 death row inmates have been exonerated by DNA evidence. That's the identifier of a genetic fingerprint unique to each person. If DNA proves a person was not guilty of a crime, the game is over. The suspect is innocent. Gradually, states are beginning to realize the risks of executing innocent people. Congress should push hard for new protections under federal law.

The bill, authored by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., goes beyond DNA in an attempt to shore up fairness in the system. It also includes a provision for improving the quality of defense counsel with grants to states to help fund legal representation.

There is no question that events in some states have brought new attention to the DNA issue. Gov. George Ryan in Illinois, in light of 13 death row inmates being exonerated from 1977-2000, commuted the sentences of 167 death row inmates to life in prison. The odds suggest that some of those 167 are probably innocent.

Congress is right to get involved. If governments in this country are going to impose the death penalty, which is the wrong remedy even if the inmate is guilty, they must make certain they get the conviction right. DNA is showing that convictions have not always been right. Any course of action that continues executions in the face of such knowledge is injustice at its worst.

The Innocence Protection Act (H.R. H.R.912 / S. 486) is a carefully crafted package of criminal justice reforms aimed at reducing the risk that innocent persons may be executed. Among its most important provisions are affording greater access to DNA testing by convicted offenders and helping States improve the quality of legal representation in capital cases.

The IPA is a bipartisan bill, with 250 co-sponsors in the House in the Senate. It has received widespread support from newspapers across the country, faith-based organizations and criminal justice professionals.

In the last Congress, hearings were held in both houses and the bill was reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it remained, due to opposition from a very few ultra-conservatives, like Orrin Hatch.

The bill's sponsors have promised to push for hearings and passage in the 108th Congress. On February 4, 2003, Senator Leahy, Rep. Delahunt and others issued this statement.

Here is list of the co-sponsors.

You can help. Contact your elected officials in Congress today. It will only take a few minutes and a few clicks of your mouse to let your U.S. Representative and Senators that we must pass the IPA before the end of this Congress.