Congresswoman Gwen Moore Applauds Passage of FY 2026 Funding Legislation, Including Funding to Strengthen VAWA Services

Today, the House considered and passed an appropriations package (H.R. 6938) including three long overdue FY 2026 funding bills for the Department of Commerce, Justice, and Science, for the Department of Interior and EPA, and for Energy and Water. In response, Congresswoman Gwen Moore released the following statement:

“This funding package includes important provisions that support domestic survivors and reject many of the President’s FY 2026 budget cuts for a wide range of science, environmental, and other programs vital to our region. While it is far from perfect, I was proud to vote for its passage. This legislation would provide $720 million for the Department of Justice’s Violence Against Women’s Act programs, an increase of $7 million. Earlier this year, I once again led my colleagues in the House in a bipartisan push for robust funding for these programs and to oppose the Administration’s efforts to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from these programs.

This includes investing in VAWA culturally competent services, which make a meaningful difference for women in Wisconsin through programs like the Asha Project.

I am also pleased this legislation reiterates Congress support for preserving the DOJ’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) as a unique standalone office within the Department. I led a bipartisan effort last year opposing the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposal to consolidate this office into the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Existing law requires that OVW be an independent office providing direct engagement for victims and survivors of crime.

I also applaud the bill’s provision ensuring that organizations receive proper notice of grant opportunities. Last year, the Trump Administration removed these notices, sowing confusion and chaos for victim service organizations. I successfully pushed back against this effort and secured a provision in the funding bill requiring FY 2026 notice of funding opportunities (NOFO) for OVW programs be publicly posted within 90 days of the bill’s enactment.

As the Trump Administration continues to undermine domestic violence services, I will keep working to lift up the needs of survivors.”

The bill also rejects the President’s cuts to science and environmental programs, which have concerned many of my constituents. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would receive $6.2 billion, $1.7 billion more than requested by the President.

The EPA, an agency the President targeted for deep cuts, would receive $8.8 billion, including $369 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which has been crucial to helping address legacy contamination issues in our region.

The President proposed to cut the EPA budget by half. The bill also rejects efforts to make deep cuts to the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and other key public lands agencies. NASA would receive $24.4 billion, $5.6 billion more than the President requested, including $3 billion above the request for NASA’s Science activities and $143 million to support important STEM engagement activities. The bill would also provide $8.75 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF), which is $4.8 billion more than the President’s request.”

The measure passed the House by a vote of 397-28. The Senate is expected to begin consideration of the measure next week.

Key Provisions

$10 million for Culturally Specific Services. These programs provide critical support tailored to the unique needs, languages, to different victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. This program recognizes that there is not a one size that fits all approach to combating intimate partner violence.

Notice of Funding Opportunities. The agreement directs the Department that the notices of funding opportunities for the grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and other assistance provided for by the Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Justice Programs and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services shall be publicly posted no later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this act.

Upon taking office, the Trump Admin removed FY 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) from the DOJ website which threatened the funding of OVW programs. Organizations were left scrambling as they were worried about their funding being stalled and several organizations cut staffers due to the uncertainty. . This provision in the CJS bill requires that DOJ do its job by requiring NOFOs to be posted no later than 90 days.

Distinct Grant/making Components. The agreement directs the Department to maintain the Office on Violence Against Women and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services as distinct organizational grantmaking entities within the Department.

This provision maintains the distinct integrity of the Office of Violence Against Women as stated by law and Congressional intent.

The CJS funding portion of this bill includes five community funded projects that Congresswoman Moore secured:

• $133,000 for Great Lakes Dry Hootch ($133,000) to help support veterans struggling with PTSD/Substance Use Disorder through use of a BattlePeer app to provide veteran peer-to-peer support.
• $1.03 million for the Marquette Trauma Informed Project ($1.03 million) to help individuals experiencing mental health crises or struggling to access mental health resources, including through
• $300,000 for Word of Hope Ministries for a project that combines business development, prison re-entry services, and access to substance abuse and mental health treatment, with a focus on those leaving incarceration.
• $815,000 for the City of West Allis ($815,000) for new dispatch equipment to better support community and first responder safety by improving the ability of the City of West Allis and its’ dispatchers and first responders in responding to calls for assistance from the public,
• $1.03 million for the City of Milwaukee to purchase new public safety radios.

The bill also includes several other programs benefitting the Milwaukee area secured by Senator Baldwin:

• Children’s Wisconsin Child Advocacy Centers ($730,000)
• Sojourner Family Peace Center—Community Domestic abuse advocacy program ($469,000)

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.