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Today is VOCA CALL IN DAY!

Welcome your U.S. House of Representatives back to North Carolina.
Let them know that VOCA provides vital funding for victims of crime.

Why Call?
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, did not remove or raise the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding cap. Instead they reduced the proposed appropriation from President Bush's $575 million to $566.5 million. This would mean a 16% decrease in funding for North Carolina victim service providers after an already financially difficult year. The U.S. House of Representatives is now considering the bill.

About VOCA
The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) fund comes from fines and forfeitures from offenders in the federal court system, not from tax dollars. For many programs this is a vital source of funding needed to provide direct services to victims of crime. These programs include rape crisis centers, battered women's programs, the Crime Victims Reparations program, programs assisting

victims of drunk driving, child abuse, elder abuse, and more. The Office for Victims of Crime administers the VOCA Fund by distributing it to states through a formula grant. States have four years to use each year's distribution.

Facts
o       The average VOCA grant is around $60,000.

o       The VOCA fund receives on average $750 million in new fines each year.  It is expected to exceed $1 billion dollars in 2002.  $550 million from the VOCA fund was appropriated for use in 2002.

o       In 2000, Congress imposed a cap on money disbursed by the VOCA fund, reasoning that the money needed to be saved for a "rainy day."

o       Over the past three years the caps have prevented $720 million from reaching crime victims.

o       Over the past two years the U.S. Attorneys Office collected record-breaking amounts of fines, fees and penalties that are put into the Crime Victims Fund. If there had not been a cap, North Carolina would have received between 6-8 million more dollars each year.

o       Money in the VOCA fund is expected to exceed $1 billion this year. However, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, did not remove or raise the VOCA funding cap.  Instead they reduced the proposed appropriation from President Bush's $575 million to $566.5 million.       

o       The President's budget proposal of $575 million for fiscal 2003 is at least $30 million less than what is needed to sustain programs at the same level as fiscal year 2002.

Concerns
A severe budget crisis in North Carolina, compounded by a drop in individual donations to victim service        agencies, has already resulted in layoffs and program cuts in victim service agencies.

If the current cap amount is approved, North Carolina will suffer a 16% cut in funding - going from $10.5       million to $8.8 million.

For every one million dollars that gets capped or cut, 16-17 North Carolina programs will not be funded. This means agencies that provide services (i.e. to sexual assault victims) will NOT receive new funding but will have to eliminate services or staff.

What Needs To Be Done?
The National Center for Victims of Crime, along with other national victim advocacy organizations, are calling on Congress to:

o       Release $125 million in additional VOCA Funds for use by the states in fiscal year 2003.
o       Guard against new earmarks from the VOCA fund that would reduce the money that is vital for many victims services and compensation programs.

Resources
www.stopfamilyviolence.org <http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org> Use this site to send an email or letter to your House Representative here.

www.ncvc.org <http://www.ncvc.org> Find out more information on VOCA here.
www.4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/42/10601.html <http://www.4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/42/10601.html> Crime Victims Fund [VOCA] language.

Contact Information
(Asterisks denote member of Senate Appropriations Subcommittee)

North Carolina U.S. House of Representatives Delegation:
Detailed contact list with local offices

Eva M. Clayton-District 1
<<http://www.house.gov/clayton/>>

Bob Etheridge-District 2
<<http://www.house.gov/etheridge/>>

Walter B. Jones-District 3
<<http://www.house.gov/jones/index.html>>

** David E. Price-District 4
<<http://www.house.gov/price/>>

Richard Burr -District 5
<<http://www.house.gov/burr/>>

Howard Coble-District 6
<<http://www.house.gov/coble/>>

Mike McIntyre-District 7
<<http://www.house.gov/mcintyre/>>

Robin Hayes-District 8
<<http://www.hayes.house.gov/>>

Sue Wilkins Myrick-District 9
<<http://www.house.gov/myrick/>>

Cass Ballenger-District 10
<<http://ballenger.house.gov/>>

**Charles H. Taylor-District 11
<<http://www.house.gov/charlestaylor/>>

Melvin L. Watt-District 12
<<http://www.house.gov/watt/>>

Veronica Butcher
Education Coordinator
North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault
4426 Louisburg Rd., Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27616
Phone: 919.431.0995
Fax: 919.431.0996
www.nccasa.org