NATCHEZ &045; One of two Mississippi senators said Thursday he believes agencies depending on Victims of Crime Act funding will receive that money for the next fiscal year.

The White House did indeed recommend that funds that remained in the VOCA fund at the end of the fiscal year &045; just over $1 billion &045; be rescinded, Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, said.

&uot;But the Senate has not gone along with the president,&uot; Cochran said. House and Senate conferees are meeting now to iron out differences in their budget resolutions, he said, &uot;and because of the action of the Senate, I doubt the House&uot; will cut VOCA funds.

VOCA funds comprise a large part of the budgets of several social service agencies that serve abused women and children and other crime victims in Adams and surrounding counties. The funds, which come from court fines and penalties, also provide assistance through law enforcement agencies and district attorney’s offices throughout the state.

A joint budget resolution is expected to be completed in just a few days, although Cochran said he’s not sure exactly when.

But Cochran knows where he stands. &uot;(VOCA) is an important program providing … assistance to crime victims,&uot; he said, &uot;and I’m supporting the continuation of this assistance to those who are victims of crime.&uot;

Representatives of the office of Sen. Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, could not be reached for comment prior to press time. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-3rd District, has already signed a letter, along with several other U.S. representatives, asking the House Appropriations Committee to fund VOCA.