The Forensic Nurse

VAWA programs were both cut and received funding for new programs in the 2008

Omnibus Appropriations Bill. However, the Victim of Crime Act Fund (VOCA) has been

cut by $35 million. The President’s budget called for the elimination of the VOCA Fund

by absorbing the balance into the Treasury. However, NCADV fought hard to save

VOCA even ask for a raise the VOCA cap. Though many Members of Congress

vetoes of appropriations bills proved too delicate a political issue at this time.

Many essential VAWA programs received increases, including:

· $8.8 million increase for STOP Grants

· $2.6 million increase for Transitional Housing

· $1.6 million increase for Services for Rural Victims

New programs that received funding are:

· $2.8 million money for Services for Children Exposed to Domestic Violence

· $2.8 million for Services for Teens

· $2.8 million for Engaging Men and Youth in Prevention

· $9.4 million for the Sexual Assault Services Program

Although VAWA programs received an overall increase, some programs were cut.

There was a $2.1 million cut to Legal Assistance for Victims and a $3.2 million cut to

Labor Health and Human Services programs like the Family Violence Prevention

Services Act (FVPSA), the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and Rape Prevention

and Education received no funding increases or cuts, leaving them the same as last

year. Each year, however, all programs have a small percent taken off their overall

budget, called a rescission. This year the rescission is at 1.747% which essentially cuts

funding to these programs.

FVPSA will now be funded at $122.6 million (a $2.2 million cut) and the National

Domestic Violence Hotline will be funded at $2.9 million (a $52,000 cut).