Pallone Fights to Unlock $10 Million in Aid Trump Administration Is Withholding from NJ Survivors of Violence

LONG BRANCH, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) and 32 Democratic members of Congress today called on the Trump Administration to immediately release nearly $10 million in federal funding for New Jersey programs that support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice, Pallone and House Democrats warned that states cannot finalize budgets or distribute funds to service providers until the agency releases the Fiscal Year 2025 allocation tables for the Crime Victims Fund (CVF).

New Jersey was allocated $9,996,000 through the CVF in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), helping to fund vital programs like emergency shelter, counseling, legal assistance, and court advocacy. But with the FY25 program year already underway, none of this year’s funding has been distributed – pushing service providers to the brink.

“Every day of delay pushes more programs closer to a service cliff. Survivors in New Jersey need help now, not when the Trump Administration gets around to acting,” Pallone said. “The federal government is sitting on more than $4.6 billion in unused victim assistance funds. It’s unconscionable that they’re withholding it while shelters lay off staff and crisis centers risk closure.”

“The Attorney General’s Office notified Women Aware that VOCA funding for our residential and non-residential programs would be reduced by 43%. This translates into highly consequential cutbacks over a two-year grant period. VOCA funding is the backbone of support that helps victims rebuild their lives and regain safety, recovery, and stability. VOCA cuts could force Women Aware to reduce critical services and lay off key staff, leaving victims and survivors without support during their time of greatest need,” Phyllis Yonta, CEO, Women Aware 

“Federal funding under the Victims of Crime Act is essential to 180 Turning Lives Around and the support we provide to survivors of sexual violence and also for domestic violence through our Family Justice Center. These are life-changing services which help extremely vulnerable people every day in Monmouth County and throughout New Jersey. We urge all our leaders to work together to safeguard this funding and release it without delay so that we can ensure the continuity of these critical supports in our community,” Elizabeth Graham, Executive Director/CEO, 180 Turning Lives Around, Inc. 

The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program was created by Congress in 1984 to support victim services using criminal fines and penalties, not taxpayer dollars. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, these funds reach more than six million victims each year across the country.

“Across the country, providers now face unprecedented funding gaps. Nationwide, VOCA allocations have fallen nearly 50 percent since 2018, magnifying the strain on every state’s victim service network,” Pallone and other signers wrote to the Trump Administration.

A copy of the members’ letter is available here and below:

Dear Acting Assistant Attorney General Cohen and Acting Director Schmitt:

As you are aware, immediate publication of the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) victim assistance allocation tables, and prompt distribution of Fiscal Year 2025 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) formula grants, are critical to maintaining lifesaving services. With the FY 2025 program year already under way, having begun on July 1, 2025, states still cannot finalize budgets or disburse funds to providers that support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and child abuse.

VOCA, established by Congress in 1984, channels criminal fines and penalties, not taxpayer dollars, to approximately 6,500 local organizations that reach more than six-million victims each year.  Persistent declines in deposits since 2018 have pushed the VOCA system to a breaking point. Despite these shortages, the Crime Victims Fund still holds more than $4.6 billion in unobligated balances, resources that will remain out of reach until FY 2025 allocation tables are released.

Across the country, providers now face unprecedented funding gaps. Nationwide, VOCA allocations have fallen nearly 50 percent since 2018, magnifying the strain on every state’s victim service network. California has experienced a 67 percent cut in VOCA assistance since 2019, and in the same period, law-enforcement agencies logged roughly 18 domestic violence calls every hour, underscoring the scale of unmet need. Wisconsin have seen its annual VOCA allocation plunge from roughly $44 million to $13 million, forcing shelters to lay off staff, limit beds, and in some cases pause medical-advocacy coverage. In Tennessee, more than 360 victim-service nonprofits have petitioned the state for a $25 million recurring fund after federal reductions left them on the brink of closure. Compounding the crisis, recent staff removals and grant-cycle suspensions at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have frozen Family Violence Prevention and Services Act awards, making timely Office of Victim Services (OVC) disbursement all the more critical, and leaving organizations unsure whether promised dollars will arrive.

July 1, 2025, marked the start of the FY 2025 program year, yet OVC has still not released the FY 2025 CVF allocation tables, which remain listed as “forthcoming.” Unless issued immediately, states will be unable to execute sub-awards on time. To avert a nationwide service cliff, we request the following actions: 

• Publish the FY 2025 state allocation tables and award notices without further delay.
• Award 100 percent of FY 2025 VOCA assistance grants by September 30, 2025.

Given the gravity of this national shortfall, and with vital survivor services hanging in the balance, swift federal action to publish state allocation tables and award notices is essential. Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter; we stand ready to work with you to ensure survivors receive uninterrupted support.