Neal Dunn: “when Alexis de Toqueville came to America in the spring of 1831, there were many aspects of American life that deeply…”

“when Alexis de Toqueville came to America in the spring of 1831, there were many aspects of American life that deeply impressed him. One of the aspects of American life that impressed him the most was the spirit of voluntarism that he encountered everywhere he went. Mr. Speaker, that spirit of voluntarism is still alive and well today. In fact, I believe that voluntarism is part of the American character. That is why I am so distressed to see that the spirit of voluntarism is threatened these days by a legal system that allows all sorts of lawsuits to be filed against innocent people who volunteer their time to serve others. Mr. Speaker, too many volunteers are put on trial by those who are manipulating our legal system and that must stop. That is why we must pass H.R. 911, the Volunteer Protection Act. Volunteers who act in good faith, who are engaged in acts of charity should not be threatened by absurd lawsuits. Let us pass H.R. 911 and strengthen the unique American spirit of voluntarism.”