Joe Biden Will Appear in an Episode of Law amp Order SVU
Vice President Joe Biden will appear in an episode of Law  Order Special Victims Unit that will mention the backlog of untested rape kits in many cities, as well as efforts to end violence against women  an issue close to Biden, who authored the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. Biden, who has also considered ending the rape-kit backlog a legislative priority, will travel to New York City to tape the episode of the long-running show on Friday, according to a White House press release. The kits, which contain DNA evidence from a victim's attacker, are often necessary to identify rapists and have been backlogged in police departments across the country. One of the show's stars, Mariska Hargitay, who plays Olivia Benson, has been an outspoken advocate of ending sexual violence against women, and is the founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation, which empowers survivors of sexual violence. In May, she presented Biden with an award for his efforts toward ending domestic violence. , It won't be his first small-screen debut  he also appeared on NBC's Parks and Recreation twice.