Urges Congress and President to reauthorize "Family Violence Prevention and Services Act."
Impact
The resolution points to significant funding shortfalls since the FVPSA's last reauthorization in 2015, which is critical for sustaining the life-saving services that victims rely on. While the FVPSA continues to receive federal appropriations, these amounts have fallen below the authorized $175 million per year, resulting in an unacceptable gap and leaving many requests from victims unmet. In just one day in 2017, a study indicated that 11,441 requests for FVPSA-supported services went unfulfilled, showcasing the urgent need for renewed funding.
Summary
ACR117 is a concurrent resolution introduced in the New Jersey Legislature that urges Congress and the President of the United States to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). Initially enacted as a federal law to address domestic violence, FVPSA serves as the primary source of federal funding for programs that support victims of domestic and dating violence and their dependents. The act has provided necessary resources for community-based organizations—more than 1,600 programs funded by FVPSA assist over 1.3 million victims each year with services such as emergency shelter, counseling, and legal assistance.
Contention
ACR117 highlights the importance of the FVPSA, especially during challenging times for domestic violence shelters that continue to report struggles in meeting increasing service demands. The resolution underscores the potential impact of bipartisan legislation currently pending in Congress (S.2784 and H.R.6014), that aims to secure FVPSA funding from 2019 to 2023. The passage and enactment of such legislation would protect against future funding cuts, ensuring that victims of domestic violence receive essential resources and services they need to achieve safety and stability.
Urges Congress to enact "Presidential Security Resources Reimbursement Act of 2024" to reimburse State and local units for public safety expenses incurred during major presidential and vice presidential candidates' visits.
Urges U.S. President and Congress to enact legislation comparable to "Eviction Crisis Act of 2019" and "Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2019."