U.S. Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) on June 6 introduced a bipartisan proposal to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, the nation’s main law funding emergency shelter and assistance for domestic violence victims and their families.
Joining Rep. Thompson in introducing the bill, H.R. 6014, were original cosponsors U.S. Reps. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).
“As strong advocates for victim assistance, victims’ rights and safeguarding all Americans from domestic violence, we are proud to introduce this legislation to reauthorize these life-saving services,” the members said in a joint statement released on June 7.
Since its 1984 enactment, the law has addressed domestic violence through community-driven solutions, as well as a nationwide network of programs and services, according to the statement.
“Domestic violence has no place in American society, and this legislation is essential to ensuring we are not only standing up for victims of domestic violence, but we are also doing everything in our power to stand against it,” the lawmakers said. “We urge all of our colleagues to support this bill.”
H.R. 6014 would reauthorize the program at current levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2023, and formula grants would be allocated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Family and Youth Services Bureau to states, territories and tribes, state domestic violence coalitions, and national and special-issue resource centers, according to HHS.
“A lack of shelter funding should never jeopardize survivors in need of safety and support,” said Kim Gandy, president and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. “Passage of the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention Services Reauthorization Act (FVPSA) would ensure that 1.3 million victims and their children have access to life-saving services every year.”
Katie Ray-Jones, chief executive officer of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, said that both the hotline and it’s loveisrespect.org program, which are funded by the FVPSA, answered nearly 330,000 calls, texts and chats from survivors of domestic violence and dating abuse who reached out for crisis intervention, safety planning and resources during 2017.
The funds also allowed both programs “to collaborate with partners such as the National Women’s Indigenous Resource Center to create the StrongHearts Native Helpline, providing culturally appropriate support services to Native women,” Ray-Jones added. “Without FVPSA, these critical services would not exist.”
FVPSA also funds critical support services for State Domestic Violence Coalitions and FVPSA State Administrators, and provides specialized technical assistance support to local and community-based domestic violence programs, among other services.
H.R. 6014 has been referred to the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee for consideration.