In an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, the House of...

In an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, the House of Representatives passed legislation to give death-row inmates greater access to DNA testing to prove their innocence. The bill passed the House 357-67 and is expected to pass the Senate quickly. It would cost $1.88 billion over 5 years, which includes funds for states to defend people accused in capital cases, strengthen legal representation for the indigent, and eliminate a backlog of unanalyzed DNA samples in the nation's crime labs. Lawmakers said the bill has great urgency in light of numerous high-profile cases of overturned convictions after DNA tests proved the inmates innocent. Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., is the measure's key author. Opponents complained that the bill makes it too easy for people on death row to get their cases reviewed. "The standard of evidence is set dangerously low to get retrial," said Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz.