Costa Announces $10.3 Million for Crime Victims in California

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus, announced that the State of California is the recipient of $10.3 million in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) federal grant funding. The VOCA victim compensation grants provide victims with financial assistance for medical care, mental health counseling, lost wages, and funeral and burial costs.

“This $10.3 million Victims of Crime Act grant awarded to California is going to help thousands of survivors in our San Joaquin Valley,” said Rep. Costa. “Victims’ compensation is essential to ensuring that not one victim of crime goes without care and services. These funds will be made available to survivors so they can pay for out-of-pocket costs like medical expenses, counseling services, shelter, and lost wages.Ensuring that the non-taxpayer dollars in the Crime Victims Fund are spent only for victims’ services and compensation has always been and will continue to be one of my top priorities in Congress.”

The Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus was founded in 2005 by the co-chairs, Representatives Jim Costa and Ted Poe. The caucus serves as a voice in Congress for victims of crime.

Since 1984, the Victims of Crime Act has provided federal grants to provide essential, often life-saving services for crime victims. The Crime Victims Fund is not financed by taxpayer dollars but by fines, forfeitures, and other penalties paid by federal criminal offenders. By statute, the Fund is dedicated solely to supporting victim services and compensation.

Every year, Rep. Jim Costa leads the VOCA appropriations letter requesting that the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies support an increased cap on the money that comes out of the Crime Victims Fund. The cap was raised to $3.042 billion in Fiscal Year 2016. There is an estimated $10 billion in the fund today.