Angel:

Thank you so much for doing this! You are correct... It is Todd Platts.

-Terri

-----Original Message-----

From: Angel McLaughlin <digitaldesignangel@...>
Subj: Re: [SurvivorsIncVolunteer] VOCA Call-In Day
Date: Tue Mar 11, 2008 3.35 pm
Size: 4K
To: SurvivorsIncVolunteer@yahoogroups.com

terri I'm not sure exaclty who I am to address this to, is it Todd Platts? thats
the last represntative congressmen that I remember learning about but I could be
completely wrong? could you help me out with this, I checked the website,
totally confused me?

Terri Hamrick Kessel <terri@...> wrote:
Greetings:

I do not usually send out mass emails of this nature, but this is critically
urgent. Attached is a PDF fact sheet delineating what VOCA is, and how it the
loss of funding will impact crime victims across the state of Pennsylvania.
Please, please, please take a moment and review this information, and on March
14th, take action according to the call to action information below. You will
be helping those who have already lost so much. In our county, VOCA heavily
funds our Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence/Stalking hotline, and funds our Legal
Advocacy efforts. It also funds activities of the Victim Witness Program
Office, another essential service in our community for crime victims.

Thank you for your kind attention.

-Terri

March 14, 2008
Pennsylvania VOCA Call-In Day

Dear Colleague,

As you may have heard the President’s Budget request for 2009 proposed to
transfer the balance of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding to the General
Treasury.

That means that almost $2 billion in victim assistance and compensation
funding would be lost. By 2010 the VOCA fund would have zero dollars to give to
states for victim services.


VOCA is funded through criminal fines not tax payer dollars.
VOCA helps all victims of crime.
VOCA accounts for more than half of funding for many programs.
Without VOCA funding many programs will have to reduce the amount of
services provided, lay off staff or close their doors completely.

In order to restore the VOCA fund and increase the cap to compensate for years
of cuts, we need everyone to contact their Members of Congress and let them know
how valuable VOCA is to Pennsylvania victims of crime.

This takes 1 minute of your time and the results can be invaluable.


On Friday March 14th, Call your Senators and Congressman from the list
below or through the Capitol Switch Board at (202) 224-3121.
Tell the staffer: “I am a constituent from (insert your town) who works with
victims of crime. In order for us to continue to help victims, we need
Congressman (insert name) to save the VOCA fund and raise the balance to $1
billion. VOCA is not tax payer money and was designed to help those most in
need”
Fax your Congressman the attached fact sheet and sample letter. Make
sure to edit the letter to include information about the services your
organization provides.
Forward this information to your staff, volunteers, community partners
and even clients and ask them to call as well.

Not sure who your Representative is? Click here to find out.

Member Name
DC Phone
DC FAX
Senator Arlen Specter (R- PA)
202-224-4254
202-228-1229
Senator Robert P. Casey (D- PA)
202-224-6324
202-228-0604
Representative Robert A. Brady (D - 01)
202-225-4731
202-225-0088
Representative Chaka Fattah (D - 02)
202-225-4001
202-225-5392
Representative Phil English (R - 03)
202-225-5406
202-225-3103
Representative Jason Altmire (D - 04)
202-225-2565
202-226-2274
Representative John E. Peterson (R - 05)
202-225-5121
202-225-5796
Representative Jim Gerlach (R - 06)
202-225-4315
202-225-8440
Representative Joe Sestak (D - 07)
202-225-2011
202-226-0280
Representative Patrick Murphy (D - 08)
202-225-4276
202-225-9511
Representative Bill Shuster (R - 09)
202-225-2431
202-225-2486
Representative Christopher Carney (D - 10)
202-225-3731
202-225-9594
Representative Paul E. Kanjorski (D - 11)
202-225-6511
202-225-0764

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