The U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking needs your help to stop Congress from cutting over $1 Billion from victim service programs.
The U.S. Congress is working this week on the FY 2021 federal budget and initial drafts of the legislation include a 40% cut to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
These funds are earmarked for victims of crime and for grants to non-profit organizations who provide services to crime victims, and now Congress is attempting to take that money and spend it on other government programs.
We can’t allow Congress to take away from the VOCA funds received from monetary penalties from federal criminal prosecutions and distributed directly and indirectly to victims of convicted criminals. Last year Congress cut the fund 25% and this additional cut endangers all grant programs for victims of crime.
USIAHT needs your help right now! Congress has an opportunity to save victim service grants by including this fix in their omnibus appropriations bill – the bill that will pass by mid-week next week to keep the government open.
We have signed on with over 1,400 victim service providers to fight this cut and make sure that victims services grants are not cut for 2021. USIAHT has also proposed a permanent legislative fix to keep future Congresses from attempting to raid the VOCA funds again.
Please call your Senators and Representatives today and tell them the following:
1. Stealing from funds that are designated for victims of crime to pay for other programs is outrageous;
2. Cutting nearly a Billion dollars from Victims of Crime Act grants would be CATASTROPHIC for state and local victim programs;
3. Please include language in the omnibus appropriations bill to shore up the Crime Victims Fund by redirecting financial penalties from federal deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements that would otherwise go into the General Treasury into the Crime Victims Fund.
You can contact your U.S. Senator(s) by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and the operator will connect you directly with the Senate office you request. If you prefer to contact members by email click HERE.
