CAC Supporters: Call on Congress to protect services for child crime victims
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Grants are the primary source of federal funding for thousands of victim service providers, including CACs. VOCA is a key component within the entire criminal justice system because it funds critical services to victims of crimes so they can not only heal, but also work (many times in partnership) with law enforcement and prosecutors in pursuing justice.
A new bill, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act (CVFSA) 2.0, is a crucial step toward VOCA funding stability for years to come. The previous version of this bill gained support from over 200 bipartisan House co-sponsors and six Senate co-sponsors, demonstrating broad agreement on the need for action. The signature of every House Member matters to get House leadership to call a vote on this important bill.
Ask your representative to sign on; thank them if they have
- Find your Representatives
- Please check the current list of Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act (H.R. 909) co-sponsors here.
If your House member is on it, please send them an email or call thanking them for their support. It’s critical to build a relationship for the long haul, and your recognition of their support means everything.
If you don’t see their name, please keep calling and asking them to support H.R. 909.
The signature of every House Member matters to get House leadership to call a vote on this important bill. Members of Congress pay attention to how many constituents care enough to contact them about an issue, so taking a few minutes to call or email your U.S. representative would be a huge help.
The 5 minutes you spend making this call and asking your colleagues, family and supporters to do the same can pay off in services to kids in years to come.
Please ask your colleagues, MDT partners, fellow advocates and community members! We need every call!
CALL AND SAY THIS (or leave a voicemail, they listen!):
“My name is [your name and location]. (I am a constituent of [name of official])/(my agency is located in [name of official]‘s district). Services to victims of child abuse–and other victims of crime–are facing devastating cuts due to the continued record low deposits into the Crime Victims Fund. The child advocacy center in your district is facing those cuts. But, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act bill, H.R. 909, co-sponsored by Representatives Wagner, Moran, Dingell, Bice, Costa, and Schmidt, would give us a lifeline and help soften the impact while Congress works to find a permanent solution. We are asking [name of official] to sign onto Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act to become a co-sponsor. And, we appreciate all of [Name of official]‘s support for child abuse victims.”
Subject: Please Co-Sponsor H.R. 909 – The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act
Hello,
My name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent from [Your City/Town]. I am reaching out as a supporter of Children's Advocacy Centers in North Carolina and as someone who cares deeply about the protection and well-being of child victims of abuse and neglect.
Children in our community rely on CACs for safety, healing, and justice, and without stable funding, these vital services are at risk. I urge Representative [Last Name] to co-sponsor H.R. 909, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act, to ensure these centers can continue their life changing work. The previous version of this bill had overwhelming bipartisan support, and we need your leadership now more than ever to protect these essential services.
As your constituent, I care deeply about this issue because [share a personal reason, if applicable — whether as a parent, advocate, professional, or community member]. Please stand with child victims and support H.R. 909. I would appreciate a response on where you stand on this important issue.
Thank you for your time and commitment to our community.
Kind Regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
Social Media
We are asking you to post or repost; share, and tweet/retweet our social media posts on this effort. Be sure to tag your members of Congress in social media posts urging them to take action to save Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding.