Cortez Masto and Grassley Call On Congress to Provide More Funding to Support Victims of Crimes

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to Senate Appropriators calling for more funding to support the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) - which provides services and resources for victims of crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence. Cortez Masto has repeatedly called for more support for the program, as funding for Fiscal Year 2024 hits a historic low. Cortez Masto and Grassley are calling for additional funding at the highest possible level, retroactive to this fiscal year, to ensure that essential programs and services for crime victims can continue.

"Congress established the Crime Victims Fund in 1984 to support crime survivors with costs associated with medical care, mental health counseling, lost wages, courtroom advocacy, temporary housing, and much more," said the senators. "However, over the past several years, deposits and the balance of the CVF have steadily decreased."

"Despite these Congressional efforts to shore up the CVF, data published by the Office for Victims of Crime show the balance of the CVF remains historically low," continued the senators. "However, given recent deposits into the CVF and deposits coming soon that we believe will be able to compensate for an increased obligation limit, we encourage the committee to consider amending section 510 of the FY24 CJS appropriations bill to the highest possible obligation limit to help address the lower limit set for FY24."

You can read the full letter text HERE.

Cortez Masto has consistently fought to protect victims of sexual violence and human trafficking. She voted to pass the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fix Act, and has led efforts calling for supplemental funding for VOCA programs. She is also pushing to pass the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2024 to provide provisional deposits into the CVF. She is leading efforts protect trafficking survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. Her bills to train law enforcement to prevent child trafficking and combat human trafficking activity on social media were signed into law last year.

###