{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-announces-74-million-in-federal-funding-to-support-victim-service-programs-in-vermont", "Leahy Announces $7.4 Million in Federal Funding To Support Victim Service Programs in Vermont", "2017-11-01", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.01.17\n\t\t\t Leahy Announces $7.4 Million in Federal Funding To Support Victim Service Programs in Vermont \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Grants Will Also Strengthen Domestic and Sexual Violence Response in Rural Communities\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t U.S. \u00a0Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has announced that Vermont organizations will receive 10 grants totaling more than $7.4 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to support crime victims and to strengthen services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.\r\nAs a former prosecutor and as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Leahy has long led efforts to protect funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), the two federal programs that provide direct support to victims. \u00a0Leahy also led the Senate in strengthening and reauthorizing VAWA in 2013 as the chief author and sponsor of that legislation, and in 2015 he helped raise the cap on the Crime Victims Fund so that states would be eligible for more funding.\r\n\u201cIt is vitally important to continue to support those who are supporting victims. \u00a0We have a highly effective network of organizations that serve thousands of Vermont residents every year, and we must ensure they have the tools they need to do their work,\u201d Leahy said. \u201cWe know that half of all homicides in Vermont are related to domestic violence. \u00a0This disturbing reality tears at the fabric of all our communities, from our urban centers to our most rural towns.\u00a0 That is why one of my highest priorities in renewing VAWA was to strengthen support for victims, especially in rural communities with access to few resources.\u201d\r\nKaren Tronsgard-Scott, executive director of the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said: \u00a0\u201cSurvivors of domestic and sexual violence need the support of our communities. \u00a0These grants create innovative approaches to providing these vitally important supports and will help survivors reconstruct their lives free from violence.\u00a0 We are grateful for Senator Leahy\u2019s deep understanding of domestic and sexual violence and how it impacts survivors and communities in Vermont, and his stalwart support for these programs.\u201d\r\nChris Fenno, executive director of the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services, said: \u00a0\u201cThe criminal justice system can be overwhelming for a person who has experienced a robbery, an assault, rape or murder. \u00a0These grants provide crucial victim services to over 25,000 individuals each year across the state of Vermont, and help make the experience less daunting on many levels. We appreciate Senator Leahy\u2019s lifelong dedication to improving the justice system\u2019s response for people whose lives have been impacted by crime.\u201d\r\nThis additional funding comes on the heels of the Senate Appropriations Committee passing a Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill this summer that included $483.5 million for the Violence Against Women Act, a $2 million increase over FY17 levels.\u00a0 That bill included a $1 million increase for a Leahy-authored rural grants program that delivers funds specifically to rural states like Vermont.\u00a0 The appropriations bill also included an additional $1 million in Leahy-authored transitional housing grants, a program that awarded Burlington $349,454 in this round of grants.\r\n FY 2017 U.S. Department of Justice Grants to Vermont:\r\n\u00a0\r\nViolence Against Women Act (VAWA) - Eight grants totaling $3.35 million:\r\n\u2022 Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, Inc., Springfield: $395,029\r\nThis funding will enhance the training of police, prosecutors, and the judiciary to investigate and prosecute cases of abuse, mistreatment, violence, and assault of elderly victims.\r\n\u2022 Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services (VCCVS), Waterbury: $372,649\r\nThe Sexual Assault Services Program grant provides states with formula funding to support rape crisis centers and other core services to victims of sexual assault throughout the state.\r\n\u2022 Steps to End Domestic Violence, Burlington: $349,454\r\nThis transitional housing grant assists homeless victims of sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and stalking by providing short-term housing options and emergency shelter, as well as case management, child care, and other support services to move clients towards securing permanent housing.\r\n\u2022 Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, City of St. Albans and Voices Against Violence: $379,240\r\nThis funding will enhance the community justice response to domestic violence by strengthening partnerships between criminal justice agencies, victim service providers and community organizations in Franklin and Grand Isle counties.\r\n\u2022 Have Justice \u2013 Will Travel (HJWT), Vershire: $359,281\r\nWith this award, HJWT and its project partners will provide direct legal services and assistance in accessing social services for victims in Bennington and Rutland counties.\r\n\u2022 WISE, Windsor County: $490,382 \r\nThis funding will increase capacity to more effectively serve residents of Windsor County, with an emphasis on the rural towns of Windsor, West Windsor, Weathersfield and Reading, focusing on victim services and coordinated response.\r\n\u2022 Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services, Waterbury: $750,000\r\nThis funding will allow VCCVS to expand the Vermont Rural Grant project in areas of Washington and Lamoille counties, enhancing access to specialized services for victims.\r\n\u2022 Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Montpelier: $239,126\r\nThis funding supports the state coalition\u2019s efforts to coordinate victim services statewide and advance the goals of VAWA.\r\n Victims of Crime Act (VOCA):\u00a0 Two grants totaling $4.1 million:\r\n\u2022 Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services: $3.97 million\r\nThis funding represents Vermont\u2019s allocation under the state victim assistance formula and is funded through the federal Crime Victims Fund, supported through federal fines and penalties rather than with taxpayer dollars. These funds enhance direct services to crime victims in Vermont and support victim advocates in every state\u2019s attorney\u2019s office throughout Vermont.\r\n\u2022 Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services: $119,000\r\nAdditional funding for direct compensation payments to eligible crime victims.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tDavid Carle: 202-224-3693", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-announces-74-million-in-federal-funding-to-support-victim-service-programs-in-vermont"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7113590836524963, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}