The proposed federal budget for 2006-07 seeks to zero out the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) fund by the end of 2007 - the estimated $1.26 billion dollars which funds services and compensation for victims will be lost.
How does this affect you? Victims may have to pay for services that would otherwise be free, such as counseling, advocacy, group support, and educational and wellness programs. In addition, compensation for lost wages, doctor bills, counseling fees, funeral and burial costs, emergency transportation and shelter will no longer be available. In addition, the fund supports the Children's Justice Act and the Anti-terrorism Emergency Reserve.
VOCA impacts the lives of 4.2 million people every year.
What can you do?
Sign our on-line petition by clicking here.
Fax, call or email your federal representative or senator ASAP to ask that the funding be protected.
Melissa Hart (R - 4th)....412-492-0161 (office), 412-492-0178 (fax), www.hart.house.gov (use web form)
John Murtha (D - 12th)....814-535-2642 (office), 814-539-6229 (fax), murtha@mail.house.gov
Mike Doyle (D - 14th)....412-241-6055 (office), 412-241-6820 (fax), rep.doyle@mail.house.gov
Timothy Murphy (R - 18th)....412-344-5583 (office), 412-429-5092 (fax), murphy@mail.house.govRick Santorum (R - PA)....412-562-0533 (office), 412-562-4313 (fax), santorum.senate.gov/contactform.cfm
Arlen Specter (R - PA)....412-644-3400 (office), 412-644-4871 (fax), arlen_specter@specter.senate.govPAAR also invites you to join us in wearing black armbands or ribbons to illustrate "mourning" and the devastating effects such cuts will have on our communities. We are encouraging all who value hope and healing to help us raise awareness of the VOCA cuts.
"PAAR serves thousands of women, children and men each year who have been raped or molested," commented Executive Director BJ Horn. "These cuts will affect us, domestic violence centers, mental health and drug and alcohol rehabilitation agencies and children's services. Certainly, we can expect increases in drug and alcohol abuse, mental health problems, runaways, and the like. Research has shown that these are tragic consequences for people carrying their trauma silently and secretly."
UPDATE: The General Assembly of Pennsylvania passed House Resolution No. 243 "recommending to Congress that the cap on the Federal Crime Victims Fund be eliminated and that the entire amount of the funds deposited into the Fund be distributed annually; and be it further resolved that the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recommend to Congress that they oppose the Administration's proposal to rescind the Crime Victims' Fund."
UPDATE: WASHINGTON (Tuesday, June 21) -- A bipartisan bid by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) to head off President Bush's raid of the VOCA fund won the support on Tuesday fo the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The panel, which handles the Senate's work in writing the annual budget bills for the Justice Department and several other agencies, approved language championed by Leahy and Crapo rejecting the Bush Administration's proposal to zero out the Fund at the end of fiscal year 2006, which would have rescinded more than $1 billion. Both the House and the Senate CJS bills now propose up to $625 million for the Fund, the same as in this year's budget.
The language was added to the CJS Appropriations Bill, which is expected to be considered by the full Appropriations Committee later this week.
If you would like to be updated on VOCA's status, please e-mail here. We would be happy to keep you informed.
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