of funds placed in the voca fund from convicted criminals. another consequence of this cap is highlighted in the forth coming continuing resolution that was recently negotiated by the president and the congress. unfortunately, the proposal includes a number of budget gimmicks that are more slight of hand than budget cuts. one of those gimmicks impacts the voka fund. nearly $5 billion in unobligated balances held in this fund is rescinded to the general treasury. all the money we have been supposedly holding on to for victims has now gone to pay for spending in other programs that haven't been cut. this is the wrong policy. if we're serious about cuts, we should cut spending, not simply writing that spending off with nontaxpayer dollars from this fund. i have concerns with the president's budget for fiscal year 2012 and the way it deals with crime victims. the president has proposed zeroing out an important existing program, the federal victim notification program. this program notifies victims when the perpetrator will be released from incarc

the government should be increasing the funding for the victim service organization by raising the voca cap. the funds come entirely from the fines and fees and other assessments on criminals, not tax dollars. so increasing this fund cap would result in more funds flowing to the victims who most need them. it's not only the compassionate and right thing to do but also makes financial sense. if these funds don't come from criminal activity, they will most likely come from local communities and state government will pay them in the form of higher unemployment claims, medicare and medicaid cost and community mental health services. in arizona we are fortunate to benefit from some of the most robust victims' rights statutes in the nation. these rights make a difference in the lives of victims. according to a measure of fairness, dignity and respect in the system that is often confusing and overwhelming and these rights, exist harmoniously with the rights of the accused within the criminal justice system. .. it. >> i could not have done it without you. thank you. >> thank you very much mr. b

this voca fund is about $6 billion. this is not taxpayer money. it's money that belongs to victims, but federal bureaucrats seem to want to rob this fund and pay for other federal programs. we cannot allow this money to be taken from victims of violent crime. this money should be placed in the lock box so it is only used by victims of crime and crime services. our nation must constantly be sensitive to the needs of people that have been robbed, assaulted and harmed by criminals. we as a nation are judged by not the way we treat the rich, powerful and famous but by the way we treat the innocent, the children, the elderly and victims of crime. and that's just the way it is. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york rise? >> to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlelady from kansas rise? mr. jenkins: to address the house for one minute. the s

. >> what we know, senator grassley, is that in fact right now a good percentage of that voca funds go to victims of violence against women because unfortunately that's one of the enduring challenges of the victim services field. there are so many overwhelming unmet needs. you heard mr. bodek -- mr. burbank having to turn away the beds are full, the phone to ring off the hook. we know the national domestic to end violence does a snapshot every year and they serve all the shelters and the crisis service providers. and the last snapshot they took in that one day these organizations had served 70,000 victims, women and children for the most part. but they had to turn almost 10,000 away on a single day. so it's just that we already know that that is such a pervasive form of victimization with needs, unmet needs, that are almost -- that difficult to conquer and really because it's just so significant. we still need to do a lot more in that arena, and it crosses all age lines, race lines, socioeconomic lines. >> thank you very much. thank you, madam chair,. >> thank you. senator blumenthal.