Montgomery DA Daryl Bailey joins DAs nationally asking Congress not to cut funding for victim services

Recently Montgomery District Attorney Daryl Bailey (D) added his voice to those calling for Congress to not cut funding for victim services.

Bailey shared a statement from the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) calling on Congress to prioritize continued funding for victim services amidst dwindling funding. The coalition is concerned that without immediate congressional intervention, millions of victims, including abused children, battered women, and survivors of crime, will be left without access to essential support, safety, justice, and healing.

President Joseph R. Biden (D) has recently requested $7.3 billion to replenish the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). The DAs are concerned that without this allocation of funds critical service providers could face severe cuts or even closure, due to the CVF's ongoing decline in deposits.

The CVF funds Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants which provide vital support to thousands of victim service providers nationwide, including programs serving victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, trafficking, and drunk driving.

These grants also provide essential victim compensation, helping survivors cover medical bills, lost wages, and funeral costs in the most severe cases. Advocates warn that the cuts would be most devastating for smaller programs, particularly those in rural, low-income, and communities of color.

Nelson Bunn is the Executive Director of the National District Attorneys Association.

"Victims of crime often face unimaginable hardship," said Director Bunn. "VOCA grants are a lifeline for these individuals, providing them with the support and resources they need to rebuild their lives. Without this funding, their road to healing will become even more difficult, and justice harder to attain."

Recently, the coalition of over 700 elected and chief prosecutors issued a joint letter calling for Congress to identify potential solutions for bridge funding to avert proposed spending cuts to VOCA Grants and to find a permanent solution to the declining deposits in the Crime Victims Fund. The coalition is urging lawmakers to take immediate action to properly fund and ensure the long-term stability of victim services nationwide.

Bailey represents Alabama on the NDAA Board of Directors.

The National District Attorneys Association was formed in 1950. The NDAA is the oldest and largest national organization representing state and local prosecutors in the country. With more than 6,000 members representing over two-thirds of the state and local prosecutors' offices, NDAA is recognized as the leading source of national expertise on the prosecution function and is a valuable resource for the media, academia, government, and community leaders. NDAA's mission is to provide state and local prosecutors with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to ensure that justice is done and that public safety rights are protected.