# Understanding the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act

This bill addresses a funding crisis that has been starving programs that help crime victims across the country. The Crime Victims Fund, which provides money to state and local programs that assist victims of crimes, has been running out of money because fewer federal criminal cases are being prosecuted and fined. This bill fixes that problem by redirecting additional money into the fund and making it easier for victim assistance programs to actually use the money they receive.

The main way the bill brings in more money is by capturing funds from corporate settlements. When the federal government reaches deals with companies accused of wrongdoing—through what are called "deferred prosecution agreements" or "non-prosecution agreements"—the money collected now goes into the general Treasury. This bill redirects that money into the Crime Victims Fund instead. This is a practical solution because it doesn't require new taxpayer money; it simply reroutes existing settlement funds to where they're needed most.

The bill also removes obstacles that have prevented victim assistance programs from actually helping people. Currently, these programs have to match federal funding with their own money, and they have to count money they recover from offenders (through restitution or lawsuits) against their federal grant amounts, which discourages them from pursuing those recoveries. The bill allows state leaders to waive these matching requirements and prevents programs from being penalized when they successfully collect money from offenders. Additionally, during national emergencies like pandemics, all matching requirements are automatically waived so programs can focus entirely on helping victims without worrying about funding technicalities. These changes mean more money actually reaches crime victims instead of getting tied up in bureaucratic requirements.

VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021

Nadler, Jerrold

VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 This bill adds a new source of revenue for the Crime Victims Fund and makes changes to formula grants supported by the fund. Specifically, the bill directs revenues collected from deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements to be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. Currently, such revenues are deposited into the general fund of the Treasury. Additionally, the bill increases the percentage&#8212;from 60% to 75%&#8212;of state compensation payments to crime victims in the prior fiscal year used to calculate formula grants for state victim compensation programs. Finally, the bill directs states to waive the matching requirement for recipients of state victim assistance formula grants during and for one year after a pandemic-related national emergency. It also allows states to waive the matching requirement pursuant to a policy established by the state.