Action Needed for VOCA

from Kara Porter, Executive and External Affairs Coordinator

October 12, 2009 is the deadline for securing co-sponsorship for The Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act. The Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act will:

- Establish a minimum annual cap on Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) through 2014
- Increase the VOCA cap by 23 percent each year, while leaving a balance of at least $800 million in the Fund
- Provide steady, reasonable and predictable growth in victim services through 2014

All of this, using no taxpayer dollars

This act is vitally important to Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and other organizations that serve victims of crime. We need your help! Please contact your Senator and Representative before October 12, 2009 and encourage them to co-sponsor The Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act.

Contact information for your U.S. Senator can be found at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.
Contact information for your U.S. House Member can be found at http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml.

Please take a few minutes and email or call your Senator and Representative. Your advocacy on this issue will make a difference to victims of crime and those who serve them! Below are some suggested templates but feel free to personalize them.

For your Senator:
I am writing to encourage you to co-sponsor S.1340 The Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act of 2009. The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) created the Crime Victims Fund as an important source of non-taxpayer revenues to support a wide variety of services for crime victims.

The Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act of 2009 bill calls for a VOCA cap next year (Fiscal Year 2010) of $705 million, an increase of $70 million over the 2009 cap. The cap would then increase by 23 percent for each of the next four years. At the end of this period, the VOCA cap will more than double to $1.6 billion. These increases are possible because deposits into the Crime Victims Fund -- which comes entirely from criminal fines and other penalties paid by federal offenders -- are projected to substantially increase over the five year period due to a number of extremely large criminal fines.

The need for these funds is growing; the National Crime Victims Helpline reports a 25% increase in calls this year. I strongly urge you to co-sponsor this bill and provide critically needed resources to help victims of crime.

Sincerely,
XXX


For your Representative:
I am writing to encourage you to co-sponsor H.R. 3402 The Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act of 2009. The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) created the Crime Victims Fund as an important source of non-taxpayer revenues to support a wide variety of services for crime victims.

The Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act of 2009 bill calls for a VOCA cap next year (Fiscal Year 2010) of $705 million, an increase of $70 million over the 2009 cap. The cap would then increase by 23 percent for each of the next four years. At the end of this period, the VOCA cap will more than double to $1.6 billion. These increases are possible because deposits into the Crime Victims Fund -- which comes entirely from criminal fines and other penalties paid by federal offenders -- are projected to substantially increase over the five year period due to a number of extremely large criminal fines.

The need for these funds is growing; the National Crime Victims Helpline reports a 25% increase in calls this year. I strongly urge you to co-sponsor this bill and provide critically needed resources to help victims of crime.

Sincerely,
XXX

You can also help by passing this information along to your colleagues, allied professionals, family members, friends and whomever can support this important grass roots effort. Your investment of 30 minutes to contact your Congress Members and spread the word is critical to our success!

Thank you!