The Department of Justice implements grant programs authorized by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) using funds from the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). State and local organizations serving survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, trafficking, and other crimes use these funds to provide counseling, case management, crisis hotlines, emergency shelters, and community-based direct service programs. These funds are the most essential and flexible source of funding for crime victim services across the nation.  

The Crime Victims Fund does not receive funds from taxpayer general revenue. It is supported by monetary penalties associated with federal criminal convictions and deferred and non-prosecution agreements. While deposits into the CVF fluctuate depending on Department of Justice prosecutions, the account balance has declined over the past several years and remains unstable, unable to fully fund critical and much needed services. This proposed legislation adds a temporary source of funding by redirecting unobligated funds collected through the False Claims Act settlements and judgments in cases involving fraud and false claims against the federal government to be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund, while fully compensating the federal agency and maintaining critical protection and compensation for whistleblowers.