Rep. Payne, Jr. Requests $20M to Support Domestic Abuse Centers in Next Coronavirus Stimulus Bill
Statement
Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. wants to make sure victims of domestic abuse have a safe haven during and after the coronavirus crisis. Rep. Payne, Jr. wrote a letter today to the leadership of the House of Representatives to provide $20 million to Family Justice Centers in the next coronavirus stimulus bill. Reports of domestic violence have increased substantially in the United States as well as doubled and tripled worldwide since the crisis began.
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Rep. Payne, Jr. urged the leaders to include the funding for these centers in the next comprehensive coronavirus relief package to help them care for the additional instances of domestic violence. Family Justice Centers provide critical services to thousands of victims and survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, and elder and child abuse across the country, including centers in Rep. Payne, Jr's Tenth Congressional District of New Jersey.
"The Essex County Family Justice Center was the first of its kind in New Jersey and has served more than 8,000 victims since 2010," said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. "I am extremely proud of the work they have done to provide care for adults and children who are victims of this horrible crime. Yet, the center will not be able to handle the influx of cases during the COVID-19 pandemic without appropriate funding. We need to address this issue now and get these centers the resources they need."
Rep. Payne, Jr. has been working diligently to help get life-saving aid to his constituents and all Americans during this difficult time. He co-wrote a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve a ventilator design that could help supply local hospitals in New Jersey and the rest of the country immediately. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response & Recovery of the House Committee on Homeland Security, he has been in constant contact with FEMA officials to press them on when supplies will be available nationwide.
In addition, he has supported three coronavirus-related aid bills in the House. The first one, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 6074), provided $8.3 billion to fund medical efforts. The second one, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201), provided free coronavirus testing for all Americans and mandatory paid sick leave for all workers.
The third and most recent one, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748), provided more than $2 trillion in emergency financial aid to Americans through direct payments, unemployment benefit increases, and funds to state and local governments to combat this global public health threat. The bill authorized direct payments of $1,200 to Americans who earn less than $75,000 and $2,400 to families who earn less than $150,000 as well as $500 for each child. Also, provided $349 billion to assist small businesses, $150 billion to state and local governments to help them handle coronavirus-related expenses, and $200 billion to support America's hospitals and health care workers.
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