House Passes Dingell’s Bipartisan Crime Victims Fund Legislation

Today, the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed the bipartisan Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act. Led by Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Ann Wagner (R-MO), the legislation redirects unobligated funds collected through the False Claims Act to the Crime Victims Fund through Fiscal Year 2029, stabilizing the Crime Victims Fund that serves 7 million victims in the United States each year.

"Victim services organizations depend on the Crime Victims Fund to provide critical support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, child abuse, stalking, and other crimes," Congresswoman Dingell said. "This legislation will prevent the devastating impact of depleting deposits into the fund, enabling victim services organizations to continue helping those who depend on them to heal and move forward. Congress must ensure that the CVF receives robust, stable funding that equips victim services with adequate staffing and capacity. I'm proud to see this significant legislation pass the House and move one step closer to becoming law and shoring up the CVF for years to come."

"Representing Missouri's 2nd District in Congress is not a job, it is a calling. And there is no higher calling than helping the most vulnerable in our society. Domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and child advocacy centers are on the front lines serving the most vulnerable: battered spouses, rape survivors, and children who have suffered unspeakable sexual abuse. These organizations are in desperate need of our help. My Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act will provide a new infusion of federal resources to these victim assistance programs, all at no cost to the taxpayer," Congresswoman Wagner said. "Over the past two years, I have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, with law enforcement, with prosecutors, and with victim advocacy groups to craft this legislation and build an overwhelming coalition of support. With 327 bipartisan cosponsors, this is the most widely supported piece of legislation to receive a vote this Congress, but the work is not done yet. This is a major step forward for the 7 million victims in our country who rely on the Crime Victims Fund, and I will continue to fight to see this bill become law."

Background

• In the United States, over 6,000 victim support organizations and over 7 million victims of crime are supported annually by the Crime Victims Fund (CVF).
• The Crime Victims Fund is non-taxpayer funded. Instead, it is financed through the fines, settlements, and penalties from federal criminal prosecutions.
• The CVF has seen a drastic decline in recent years. According to DOJ, the CVF balance dropped by 82.94% from $13.08 billion in FY2017 to $2.23 billion by the end of FY2024. As a result of this shortfall, Congress dropped the statutory obligation cap from $1.9 billion in FY2023 to $1.35 billion in FY2024. This $550 million cut in obligations resulted in each state seeing a 40% decrease in funding for victim assistance programs.
• The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act redirects unobligated penalties from federal civil lawsuits litigated under the False Claims Act to the CVF through FY2029.
• Estimates show that the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization could direct approximately $1 billion in funding, at no cost to the taxpayer, to support victims of crime.