Urge Congress to Pass the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act (H.R.8061/S.4514)
Join local, state, and national organizations today, Tuesday, September 10th for a national day of action to urge Congress to pass the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act (CVFSA) (S.4514/H.R.8061) this year. We’re up to 134 cosponsors in the House for H.R.8061 – let’s get to 218 by the end of September and get this bill to the President by the end of the year! Use this toolkit for scripts, sample emails, social media posts, and contact information. Act now and forward widely!
A 40% cut to Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding is forcing victim service programs to reduce or eliminate services, lay off staff, and, in some cases, close their doors. VOCA uses funds from the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) to support services to over six million victims annually through almost 6,500 direct service organizations, including domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and child advocacy centers/child sexual abuse treatment programs. However, decreased deposits into the CVF have led Congress to cut funding by approximately $600 million. Consequently, countless victims in crisis will be unable to find help.
The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act directs excess funds collected through the False Claims Act (FCA) into the CVF through Fiscal Year 2029. Learn more here.
Join us in urging your Members of Congress to cosponsor and pass the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act and help domestic violence programs, rape crisis centers, child advocacy centers, and other victim service organizations keep their doors open.
Congress must support and pass the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act (H.R.8061/S.4514) to provide lifesaving services to survivors.
Additional action is needed for VOCA in FY25 Federal Appropriations!
Congress must provide steady funding in FY25:
- Provide $1.9 billion in steady funding from the CVF, restoring funding to FY23 levels.
- Support a continued federal funding stream from VOCA for tribes. Individuals on tribal lands experience disproportionately high rates of domestic and sexual violence and need funding for victim services.
- Reject proposals that use the VOCA fund to pay for other Department of Justice programs, which reduces funding for direct victim services.
Click to Email and Tweet:
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Call Script
House Call Script:
“Hello, my name is [your name], and I’m a constituent from [your city and state and, if applicable, your organization]. I’m calling to urge Representative [Representative’s name] to support H.R.8061, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2024.
The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) is the primary source of federal funding for victim services, supporting survivors of domestic violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and other serious crimes. However, due to a significant drop in deposits into the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), funding these critical services has been severely cut.
[Explain how these cuts have impacted your community. Ex: survivors of sexual violence now wait an average of 12 weeks to receive services. It was previously 6.] The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act will help restore the CVF by temporarily adding excess funds from the False Claims Act to the Crime Victims Fund to ensure that vital victim services remain available. This is not taxpayer money – it comes from penalties paid by wrongdoers, and it is essential for supporting victims. I urge Representative [Representative’s name] to cosponsor and support this bipartisan bill to restore funding for survivors of crime.”
Senate Call Script:
“Hello, my name is [your name], and I’m a constituent from [your city and state and, if applicable, your organization]. I’m calling to urge Senator [Senator’s name] to support H.R.8061, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2024.
The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) is the primary source of federal funding for victim services, supporting survivors of domestic violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and other serious crimes. However, due to a significant drop in deposits into the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), funding these critical services has been severely cut.
[Explain how these cuts have impacted your community. Ex: survivors of sexual violence now wait an average of 12 weeks to receive services. It was previously 6.] The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act will help restore the CVF by temporarily adding excess funds from the False Claims Act to the Crime Victims Fund to ensure that vital victim services remain available. This is not taxpayer money – it comes from penalties paid by wrongdoers, and it is essential for supporting victims. I urge Senator [Senator’s name] to cosponsor and support this bipartisan bill to restore funding for survivors of crime.”
Email Script:
Senate Email Script:
My name is [your name], and I am a constituent from [your city, state, and, if applicable, organization]. I work for [local program/coalition], and I am urging Senator [Senator’s name] to please take action to prevent continued devastating cuts to the Victims of Crime Act grants. VOCA is funded by the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). The CVF is the nation’s largest funding source that supports survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and so many other crimes. Victims and victim service programs in our community are suffering greatly due to continuous cuts to this essential funding source, and we need Congress to pass S.4514, the bipartisan Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act. This timely legislation will help restore the CVF by adding excess funds from the False Claims Act to ensure that vital victim services are preserved.
[Explain the impact of cuts on your community if you can]
Victim service grants were already cut by 40% in FY24, and without immediate action by Congress, victim services in the US are facing even further catastrophic cuts. On behalf of my community, I respectfully urge you to cosponsor and work with leadership to pass the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act this year.
House Email Script:
My name is [your name], and I am a constituent from [your city, state, and, if applicable, organization]. I work for [local program/coalition], and I am urging Representative [Representative’s name] to please take action to prevent continued devastating cuts to the Victims of Crime Act grants. VOCA is funded by the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). The CVF is the nation’s largest funding source that supports survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and so many other crimes. Victims and victim service programs in our community are suffering greatly due to continuous cuts to this essential funding source, and we need Congress to pass S.4514, the bipartisan Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act. This timely legislation will help restore the CVF by adding excess funds from the False Claims Act to ensure that vital victim services are preserved.
[Explain the impact of cuts on your community if you can]
Victim service grants were already cut by 40% in FY24, and without immediate action by Congress, victim services in the US are facing even further catastrophic cuts. On behalf of my community, I respectfully urge you to cosponsor and work with leadership to pass the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act this year.
Share the Most Compelling Survivor-Centered Point You Have:
For example:
“If Congress fails to act,
- we will have to close our statewide hotline leaving survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence with no one to call
- we have to lay X number of advocates, which will increase the wait time for survivors of sexual violence to access counseling, and we know trauma does not wait
- we will have to reduce X services (housing, legal, counseling, shelter, etc.), which will lead to increased survivor homelessness
- X number of survivors will be unable to access lifesaving services”