MONTPELIER - U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy is hailing Senate passage of legislation aimed at reducing the backlog of untested rape kits throughout the country.

The Vermont Democrat, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, co-authored an amendment to improve a program passed in 2004 to reduce the national backlog of rape evidence kits awaiting testing.

Leahy says large numbers of untested rape kits have languished at police departments, never making it to a crime lab. He says the new legislation is designed to give police agencies the tools they need to reduce backlogs.

Leahy worked on the bill with Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.