06.26.25

Senator Collins Presses U.S. Attorney General on Cuts to Programs that Support Survivors of Domestic Violence

Proposed Funding Cuts Q&A: Click HERE to watch and HERE to download 

Washington, D.C. – At a hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Justice yesterday, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi on proposed funding cuts to programs established by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that support survivors of domestic and sexual abuse.

Senator Collins was an original co-sponsor of the VAWA Reauthorization Act in 2022, which expanded protections and services for domestic violence survivors and their children.

Q&A on Proposed Funding Cuts:

Senator Collins:

Just yesterday, I met in my office with the advocates who work with survivors of domestic violence in rural Maine. 

Along with Chairman Moran and other members of this committee, I was one of the lead sponsors of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization of 2022.  The programs authorized by this law are critical to reducing violence against women, ensuring that justice is administered, and strengthening services to victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Despite the vital need of these programs, the Department's budget request proposes to reduce funding for the Office on Violence Against Women from approximately $713 million in Fiscal Year 2025 to $505 million in Fiscal Year 2026.  That's a reduction of nearly 30 percent and the reductions include cuts to transitional housing assistance, the sexual assault services program, the rural victims' program, which I heard a lot about yesterday, and many others.

Attorney General Bondi, I know that you care deeply about this issue, as do I, so why is the Department cutting funding to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and support of survivors?  Was this cut imposed upon the Department by the Office of Management and Budget?

Attorney General Bondi:

Thank you, Senator Collins.  When I began as a prosecutor, I started in the domestic violence unit, and I say it's more frightening to prosecute a domestic violence case than a homicide, because you never know the next day what will happen.  We used to wake up and read the newspapers in the morning – that was before cell phones – to see if someone had been injured, hurt, or killed, who came in and recanted from a domestic violence incident.  So, it's very personally important to me as well, and we also know that many homicides are the result of domestic violence. 

This budget includes $505 million to prevent and respond to violence against women, including $190 million for grants to combat violence against women (STOP), and it also gives $60 million for sexual assault services. 

This budget is a compromise; it's a leaner budget.  We can always do more with more, but we can do more with less, and you have my word that we will do everything in our power to fight for victims of domestic violence throughout this country, as I have done my entire career, Senator.

Senator Collins:

I do know and acknowledge that you care deeply about these issues, as do I.  I hope we can work together to get to a better place on the budget, because I am convinced from talking with advocacy groups and with survivors themselves, that we need to do more, and that oftentimes rural areas of America just don't have the services.  And that's why I wanted to bring it up as my first issue with you.

Attorney General Bondi:

About the rural issues, I didn't realize that until I became United States Attorney General and met with you, met with Senator Murkowski.  The rural areas – because Florida is so highly populated, the state in which I come from, and learning that that is so true, and not only that, the tribal areas have an extremely high level of domestic violence.

So, I'm committed to working with you and every state on all of those issues and fighting domestic violence and sexual violence across this country.  And thank you, Senator Collins.

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