Tester Secures More Than $3.6 Million for Domestic Violence Shelters, Crime Victim Services in Montana

Continuing his work to support survivors of violence, Senator backs the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act to bolster funding the Crime Victims Fund (CVF)

As part of his continued effort to support survivors of violence, U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured $3,657,090 in funding to maintain and enhance crime victim services in Montana. The funding comes from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and is awarded to support local community-based domestic violence shelters, child advocacy centers, and other service providers across Montana. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester secured these vital resources as part of the 2024 government funding package.

Tester also recently co-sponsored the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act, a bipartisan bill to bolster funding for the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) by allowing surplus funds from False Claims Act cases to be deposited into the CVF. The CVF is funded by fines and fees collected from people and corporations who commit federal crimes, and this legislation would ensure the solvency of the fund as deposits have decreased in recent years.

"Every day, Montana's domestic violence shelters, victim advocates, and other crime victim services provide life-changing services and treatments for survivors across the state-and it's on us to make sure they have the tools and resources they need to continue serving our communities," said Tester. "I'm proud to have secured this funding provide these top-notch organizations with the resources and support they need, and I'll continue supporting legislation like the bipartisan Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act to ensure our hard-working victim advocates can keep helping Montana survivors recover, heal, and thrive for years to come."

The 2024 funding will be allocated as follows:

• $640,000 VOCA Victim Compensation Formula Grant: provides funding to supplement state compensation programs that provide direct financial assistance and reimbursement to victims for crime-related out-of-pocket expenses, including medical and dental care, counseling, funeral and burial expenses, and lost wages and income.
• $3,017,090 VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant: provides services such as crisis counseling, telephone and onsite information and referrals, criminal justice support and advocacy, shelter, therapy, and other forms of assistance. Funds may also be used to develop new programs that address emerging needs, gaps in services, and training of victim service advocates.

Tester has worked tirelessly to ensure that Montana survivors of violence have the resources they need to get back on their feet. He has been a longtime supporter of the Violence Against Women Act(VAWA), and supported the passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act to continue and improve this critical law.

Tester also previously crafted and passed the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act to increase deposits and maintain the solvency of the CVF by allowing fines from non-prosecution and deferred prosecution agreements to be deposited in the Fund, and he recently secured $1.9 billion for the CVF as part of the Senate's 2025 government funding package.