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The Resolve: An Historic Week for Survivors

July 22, 2021

The Resolve was NNEDV’s newsletter focused on policy from the perspective of the domestic violence field. Through The Resolve, we were able to update you about how your actions directly influence what happens on Capitol Hill and its impact on survivors and advocates. Check out a past issue of The Resolve below, and sign up for NNEDV’s emails here.

President Biden and NNEDV President & CEO Deborah Vagins at the VOCA Fix bill signing.

Today, I was honored to attend the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fix bill signing ceremony, along with NNEDV’s Public Policy Director Monica McLaughlin, NNEDV’s Senior Policy Counsel Melina Milazzo, members of the national VOCA stakeholder coalition, and Members of Congress and their dedicated staff. You can watch a recording of the bill signing on the White House’s Facebook page.

This has been an historic week for survivors. We are deeply grateful to President Biden for taking swift action to sign the VOCA Fix, which passed the Senate unanimously (100-0) on Tuesday. This law advances and builds on the President’s legacy of more than 25 years of moving the country forward on domestic violence issues. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Members of Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration to improve system-wide responses and eliminate barriers to safety and justice for all survivors.

The VOCA Fix saves and rebuilds a vital federal funding source. It will make a world of difference for more than 6,000 local domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, legal services programs, and child abuse treatment programs in every state and territory, which were struggling to meet the growing demand for services in the wake of recent years of drastic cuts in VOCA grants.

Today, we also celebrate the thousands of dedicated advocates who called, emailed, tweeted at, and met with their Members of Congress to urge them to pass this legislation. Your advocacy for survivors was instrumental to this victory. I am incredibly proud of our advocacy work. NNEDV played a lead role in forming the coalition and worked closely with Members of Congress on the VOCA Fix.

Thank you for responding to our calls to action on the VOCA Fix. Your voices made a difference.

In gratitude and celebration,

Deborah J. Vagins
NNEDV President & CEO