From: Nicole A. Lindemyer [mailto:nal@...]
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:57 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Action Update: Calls on VAWA/VOCA Funding a Success, More to Do!

 

 

Please forward widely!

 

ACTION UPDATE – Wednesday, February 20, 2008

 

Your calls to Congress were a tremendous success for VAWA, FVPSA, and VOCA, but there's more we can do!     

 

Thank you for being voices for survivors -- Congressional staff have told us how effective your calls are! 

 

You made 1,703 calls to Congress using our toll-free number -- in just two weeks!  (NOTE:  Among all the states, PA had the second highest number of calls!!!  What a great display of our grassroots power!)  This brought attention to VAWA, VOCA, and FVPSA and to the needs of survivors across the

country -- Members of Congress are taking note, and your calls will influence their funding decisions.

 

If you haven't yet sent a letter to your U.S. Senators and Representatives, now is the time to do so.  Members of Congress are making decisions right now about which programs to prioritize in their funding requests -- and they literally count every letter they receive when making those decisions.  

 

Sample Letter: [ http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/SampleLetter-LocalPrograms-FY09.doc ]http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/SampleLetter-LocalPrograms-FY09.doc

 

The Background

The President’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget proposes devastating cuts to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund, and inadequate funding for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) – the lifeblood of core domestic violence programs.  While his

budget is only the first step in the year-long appropriations process, we must make it clear that Congress should reject the President’s Budget, fully fund VAWA and FVPSA, and raise the VOCA cap.

 

Learn more about the appropriations process here:  [ http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/BudgetandAppropriationsOverview.pdf ]http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/BudgetandAppropriationsOverview.pdf

 

Scroll to the bottom of the email for more information.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Your actions RIGHT NOW are crucial in order to urge Congress to reject the President's budget and secure needed funding for essential VAWA programs, FVPSA and the VOCA Fund!   

 

Send Your Senators and Representatives a Letter

 

Personalize and send (fax or email) the letter (linked above) to your U.S. Senators and Representatives.  Let’s make sure our Members of Congress know that VAWA, FVPSA, and VOCA save lives!  Send the letter by March 14.

 

The more personal and descriptive you can be in these letters, the better.  Members of Congress are interested in learning about how these federal dollars impact their local constituents.  The letter is designed for local programs and should be printed on organizational letterhead.  If you are an

individual, simply delete references to "programs" and talk about why this issue is important to you and your community.

 

Find email and fax information for your Members of Congress through [ http://www.senate.gov ]www.senate.gov or [ http://www.house.gov ]www.house.gov   

 

Wondering whether you can lobby? Read this one-page fact sheet:  [ http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/Lobbying_NonprofitStatus.pdf ]http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/Lobbying_NonprofitStatus.pdf

 

Meet with Your Members of Congress in Your Home Town

 

You don’t have to come to Washington, DC to talk to your U.S. Senators and Representatives!  Most of them are home every Friday-Monday, as well as during Congressional recesses.  You can schedule a meeting with them or invite them to tour your program or speak at an event.  They and their staff

really appreciate getting to meet you – it’s a win-win situation, and it has a HUGE impact on behalf of survivors.  Check out NNEDV's new guide to lobbying federal Congress members in your district: [ http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/LobbyingGuide.pdf

]http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/LobbyingGuide.pdf

 

Contact PCADV for more information about hosting a legislative event and preparing for a meeting with your legislators.

 

Forward This Email

 

Send this email to your friends, family and colleagues and encourage them to call.  We need as many people as possible to send letters to Congress over the next three weeks!

 

THANK YOU FOR ACTING RIGHT NOW TO SAVE LIVES!

 

THE SITUATION - RECAP

 

The Fiscal Year 2008 budget passed by Congress in December, 2007 included staggering cuts to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund cap – the impact is now being felt by victim service providers across the country who have lost core funding.

 

Last week, the President announced his FY ‘09 Federal Budget.  If enacted, it would be devastating for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. 

 

It proposes:

 

*     A decimating $120 million cut from the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA);

 

*     Maintaining $122.6 million for the Family Violence Prevention Services and Act (FVPSA) $52.4 million less than its authorized amount; 

 

*     Institutionalizing FY ‘08’s devastating $35 million cut to the Victims of Crime Act (V0CA) Fund cap; and

 

*     The ELIMINATION of the balance of the VOCA Fund – a $2 billion loss that would leave us with no VOCA funds in FY ‘10.    

 

If passed, the President’s budget would catastrophically compound the $35 million cut to VOCA, the probable additional administrative cuts of up to $41.3 million to VOCA, and the cuts to VAWA and FVPSA.  The President’s proposal would further endanger victims’ lives since the current budget cuts

are already forcing programs to scramble to continue to be lifelines for millions of victims across this country.

 

Learn more about the cuts here: [ http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/FY08Recap.pdf ]http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/FY08Recap.pdf

 

Congress must now decide what to include in their Budget.  They must reject the President’s proposal and instead increase VAWA and FVPSA and raise the VOCA cap.  Hearing from you heavily influences their decision. 

 

There will be several more times this year when we’ll have the opportunity to influence Congress, so stay tuned!

 

THANK YOU! YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE! 

 

Your calls and actions in 2007 helped secure a remarkable $17.3 million increase in VAWA programs and saved the VOCA Fund from elimination!  Click here to see the increases in VAWA for FY ‘08 [ http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/AppropsChartFY08_Omnibus.pdf

]http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Policy/AppropsChartFY08_Omnibus.pdf 

 

Your calls and letters depict the reality of survivors and their advocates, and are the best way to convey how VAWA, FVPSA and VOCA programs save lives, rebuild families and prevent future crimes.  Congressional staff count every call and letter -- your voice will be heard!  Thank you for being a

voice for survivors! 

 

Nicole A. Lindemyer, Esq.

Policy & Special Projects Manager

Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV)

6400 Flank Drive, Suite 1300

Harrisburg, PA 17112

(717) 545-6400, ext. 205

nal@...