Supporting the Mission and Goals of National Crime Victims' Rights Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for yielding me the time.

I rise today to introduce House Resolution 1053 with my colleague, Congressman TED POE. This supports the mission of the goals of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, and that designated that this week, April 13 to April 19, as National Crime Victims' Rights Week.

Congressman Poe and I introduced this resolution on behalf of Victim Rights Caucus members who have joined this effort over the recent years.

In 1980 President Reagan first called for a national observance to recognize and honor millions of victims of crime in our country, their families and survivors. And with a bipartisan effort in Congress, that took place.

National Crime Victims' Rights Week also pays tribute to thousands of community-based systems for victims service providers, who, in fact, provide support to the criminal justice system and allied professionals, who, in fact, help those victims of crime every week throughout the country.

This year's theme for National Crime Victims' Rights Week is ``Justice for Victims, Justice for All.'' We, as a Nation, must do more to ensure that all victims of crime are afforded their legal rights and provided with assistance as they face financial, physical and oftentimes psychological impacts of crime.

When I first arrived in Washington almost 4 years ago, there was a lack of an advocacy group of behalf of victims' rights and issues. Congressman TED POE and I decided, as new Members, that we would put together a Victim Rights Caucus. We're very proud of the effects of this caucus in the first 4 years of its origin.

The goals of our caucus are simple: One, to represent crime victims in the United States in a bipartisan effort by supporting legislation that reflects their interests and their needs.

Two, to provide ongoing forum for proactive discussion between Congress and national victims assistance organizations to enhance mutual education, legislative advocacy and initiatives which promote justice for all, including, most importantly, the victims of crime.

Three, to seek opportunities for education to public education initiatives to help those in the United States to understand the impact on crime on victims and to encourage their involvement in crime prevention, victim assistance and community safety.

And, fourth, to protect the restitution fund that was initiated in the early 1980s. Those restitution funds go to the benefits of victims of crimes. Unfortunately, this administration has tried to redirect those restitution funds, which are not taxpayers dollars, but, in fact, criminal dollars, to the general fund. This Congress and the previous Congress prevented that from occurring.

Our caucus has been very successful. We have authored legislation, and I want to thank Congressman TED POE for cochairing the caucus with me, and for all of the Members of the House of Representatives who belong to this caucus.

Crime victims are our sons, our daughters, our brothers and our sisters, or neighbors and our friends. And they are struggling to survive in the aftermath of crime. They deserve our support.

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