Voca Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, so often, we hear criminals should pay for what they have done wrong. This is exactly what the Victims of Crime Act has done.

Since 1984, it has provided the ability to collect fines and fees against those very perpetrators and apply it toward the solution and, in fact, the remediation of the damage they have done. No amount of money makes up for the crimes they have committed, but certainly, this goes a long way.

Today, we are dealing with the tendency within Article II, within the executive branch, that when money is available, to see if they can't move it to where they would like to spend it rather than the clear intent of Congress.

I would like to thank Chairman Nadler and Congresswoman Wagner for their work on making sure that this bill does just that. It puts the money back where it was originally intended.

For instance, VOCA supports shelters for victims of domestic violence, which affects more than 12 million adults each year. VOCA funding is also used to support services for victims of child abuse and sexual assaults.

In all, more than 6,000 organizations nationwide are funded through this act. However, because funding has fluctuated and at times has been diverted by the Department of Justice, this, in fact, will both increase and stabilize those funds.

Over the years, Congress has adjusted funding flowing in and out of this account in an attempt to create certainty for support for these programs. Unfortunately, we haven't always succeeded, and I am not without some recognition that today will not be the last time we come back to say that Congress, on a completely nonpartisan basis, really means it: These penalties and fines need to get to the organizations that deal with the victims.

Today's bill will do just that. We stand, on a bipartisan basis, ready to ensure that we do that again.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the chairman, Congresswoman Wagner, and all the others who worked so diligently on this bill.

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner), who has done so much on this bill.

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, in closing, I urge passage of this bill, I recommend that all Members vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

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