Bill > S285

This bill aims to protect the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), a special fund established in 1984 that supports services for crime victims, by preventing Congress from using accounting maneuvers called Changes in Mandatory Programs (CHIMPs) to reduce funding below a three-year average. Specifically, the bill creates a point of order in both the Senate and House of Representatives that would block appropriations bills or amendments that would cause the CVF to receive less funding than its average deposits over the previous three years, with a $2 billion exception. The bill highlights that the CVF is funded entirely by fines, penalties, and forfeitures from federal court proceedings, not taxpayer dollars, and that historically, Congress has withheld over $10 billion from the fund meant to support victims of child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, and other crimes. By establishing these procedural barriers, the bill seeks to ensure that the full amount collected for the Crime Victims Fund is consistently made available to support victim services, in line with the original intent of the 1984 Victims of Crime Act, which prioritizes assistance to victims of the most serious and traumatic crimes.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/285/all-info