[Daryn Kagan, Cnn Anchor:] Right now we have news coming from the Supreme Court, a new decision coming out. It concerns rape victims and what they're are allowed to do after they are a victim of that crime. Let's bring in our Charles Bierbauer who's covering the story from the Supreme Court Charles.
[Charles Bierbauer, Cnn Sr. Washington Correspondent:] Daryn, a short while ago the Supreme Court struck down provisions of the Violence Against Women Act, which would've allowed a woman subjected to sexual violence to sue in federal court: invoking what's known as the commerce clause of the Constitution. This case goes back to an alleged rape on the Virginia Tech campus, back in 1994, where a young coed by the name of Christy Brzonkala contends that two members of the football team raped her in a dormitory. The court has ruled narrowly, in a five to four opinion, against Ms. Brzonkala and against the U.S. government, saying that Congress over-stepped it's constitutional limits. Chief Justice William Rehnquist said that every law enacted by Congress must be based on the powers enumerated in the Constitution. And in enacting the Violence Against Women Act, The Congress invoked both the 14th Amendment which separates state and federal jurisdictions, and the so-called commerce cause. But the chief justice said that gender motivated crimes of violence are not in any sense economic activity. Ms. Brzonkala had argued, and others for her, that because of this alleged rape she had to leave school and, of course, her chances at improving her education and her job and her income were therefore limited. But the chief justice said that this is a matter that should provide some remedy, and any civilized justice system would. But he said it has to come from the Commonwealth of Virginia, not the federal government. Charles Bierbauer, CNN, reporting live from the Supreme Court.
[Kagan:] Charles, thank you.