CRIME VICTIMS FUND STABILIZATION ACT
As you may know, federal funding for crime victims has been at a critical low for several years. The CVF (Crime Victims Fund) is the source of VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) funds, and many of you have heard that VOCA funds have been scarce and threatened for many years.
There is current legislation pending to provide stable funding.
NCA recently suggested 2 ways CACs can support this legislation, and one way that you can help as a private citizen.
| Two ways to continue the fight for CAC funding behind the scenes |
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| It’s a long path to victory, but this next month will include critical next steps in securing a basis of stable funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs). Thanks to our collective efforts so far this year, with NCA leading the effort on Capitol Hill, we now stand with 160 bipartisan co-sponsors – and counting for the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act (CVFSA) “2.0”, or H.R. 909. Leading up to our Hill Day activities in June there are two things you can do right now:#1: Add your agency to the sign-on letter for Congresswoman Ann WagnerThank you to the 293 CACs/Chapters in 44 states that have already signed on! The purpose of the letter (aside from demonstrating our appreciation to Congresswoman Wagner) is to give her office a tool that they can use to demonstrate to other Congressional offices that have not yet signed onto HR 909 that yes, you do support this bill and therefore they can co-sponsor HR 909 with confidence that they are supporting a bill that their constituent CAC wants. This acts as an action multiplier to the calls you’ve been making to your own Representative. Our goal is to have 400 agencies sign on by COB this Friday, May 9. We are almost three-quarters of the way there and there is no downside to saying “Yes, CVFSA has our support” by adding your CAC to the letter. |
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| [If you are attending NCA’s leadership conference June 9-11 in Washington DC] #2: Book your Hill Day meetings with your representatives in Congress NOW CAC advocates: your one Representative in the U.S. House and your two U.S. Senators are busy people. Just like you’d want to get on anyone’s calendar ahead of time for a lunch date or meeting, it’s especially important when it comes to meeting with policymakers. Each CAC attending the LC needs to book the meeting with their own Member of the House of Representatives. CACs should work with their State Chapter to coordinate Senate visits since generally the entire delegation within a state will go together to meet with their Senators at a time that the Chapter has set up. We’re climbing Capitol Hill together Tuesday, June 10, as part of our annual Hill Day for CAC advocacy. Each year, hundreds of advocates make their way to Capitol Hill to meet with their elected representatives and staff for educational conversations about the power of CACs in districts and states around the country. If this is your first time, NCA can show you how to book your meeting with your Members of Congress or their staff. And we will prepare you for the meeting through prep sessions before and on-site at Leadership Conference. But make sure to email or call to set up your meeting with your Representative now before their calendar fills up. |
I’m not on staff at a CAC or Chapter, how can I help? We need your help asking your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act. 1) Find out where your US Representative stands on funding for child crime victims through the link below. 2) If they co-sponsored CVFSA, thank them and ask them to mention the bill to their colleagues. 3) If they haven’t yet co-sponsored, please reach out and ask for your Representative to do so. |
So far, 6 NJ representatives have signed on to co-sponsor the bill. They are a mix of Republicans and Democrats – as we know, child abuse doesn’t care about politics, and affects everyone.
