Source: United States Senator for Missouri Roy Blunt
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators and Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Chris Coons (Del.), Co-Chairs of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, released the following statements after the House passed their Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCAA) Reauthorization Act as part of the Respect for Child Survivors Act. The law, first enacted in 1990, provides the only dedicated source of funding for Children’s Advocacy Centers, which bring together teams of law enforcement, medical personnel, and service providers to ensure the best outcome for child victims and help hold perpetrators responsible for their crimes.
“Children’s Advocacy Centers play a critical role in the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases,” said Senator Blunt. “Reauthorizing the Victims of Child Abuse Act has been one of my top priorities this Congress, and I’m incredibly grateful for the partnership Senator Coons and I have shared on this issue over several years. I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law to help keep kids safe and bring perpetrators to justice.”
“I’m glad to see the House pass the Victims of Child Abuse Act and send the bill to the President’s desk for signature. This legislation will help protect children who have been abused, bring their abusers to justice, and supply resources so that Children’s Advocacy Centers can provide a safe and supportive place for survivors of child abuse,” said Senator Coons. “It also supports members of law enforcement so they can conduct investigations faster, more efficiently, and at lower cost. I’ve been proud to work alongside Senator Blunt as Co-Chairs on the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus to reauthorize this critical program.”
Senators Blunt and Coons have previously succeeded in reauthorizing VOCAA twice, first in 2014 and again in 2018. VOCAA programs would have expired next year if Congress did not reauthorize them.
VOCAA’s key component is to fund Children’s Advocacy Centers, which provide a skilled team of trained professionals to conduct forensic interviews of children who have been victims of abuse. Such interviews are intended to be used as evidence in court while also preventing children from being retraumatized and required to repeat their accounts multiple times. Children’s Advocacy Centers allow for faster criminal charging decisions in sexual abuse cases, increased felony prosecutions of child sexual abuse, and lower average case costs.
“National Children’s Alliance is grateful to Congress for passing the Respect for Child Survivors Act, and more importantly to our Senate and House champions for leading the charge for Children’s Advocacy Centers on Capitol Hill,” said Teresa Huizar, Chief Executive Officer of National Children’s Alliance. “This bill adds to the already strong partnership our nation’s largest network of care centers has with the FBI to ensure federal cases of child sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking receive an effective multidisciplinary team response. Just as important, it also reauthorizes and updates the Victims of Child Abuse Act program, the lifeblood of the critical services our centers provide to kids and families as they recover. Our sincerest thanks to Senators Chris Coons, Roy Blunt, John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.); and to Representatives Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) for their tireless support for improving our nation’s response to child abuse.”
“The National District Attorneys Association is thrilled that Congress passed the Respect for Child Survivors Act, which takes important steps to improve the federal, state, and local treatment of child victims and witnesses by requiring the FBI to partner with trauma-informed multidisciplinary teams while also reauthorizing the Victims of Child Abuse Act programs. The VOCAA grants provide vital funding to child victim service providers and helps establish multidisciplinary teams with prosecutors, advocates, victim service providers, and law enforcement partners to effectively respond and ensure the safety of our most-vulnerable survivors. Prosecutors are thankful to Senators Chris Coons, Roy Blunt, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, and Amy Klobuchar as well as Representatives Jim Costa, Ann Wagner, and Tony Gonzales for their bipartisan commitment to prioritizing the safety of children across the country,” said Nelson Bunn, Executive Director, National District Attorneys Association.
In addition to Senators Coons and Blunt, cosponsors of the Senate bill introduced in March include Senators Dick Durbin (Ill.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), John Cornyn (Texas), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Todd Young (Ind.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Roger Wicker (Miss.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Thom Tillis (N.C.), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (Nev.).
The bill has garnered widespread support from law enforcement groups, including the Fraternal Order of Police, National District Attorneys Association, National Association of Police Organizations, Major County Sheriffs of America, Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the Sergeants Benevolent Association.
The bill is also endorsed by child advocacy groups, including the National Children’s Alliance, National Children’s Advocacy Center, Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, and Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center.