Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 717, the Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2018, or the POWER Act as, as amended. It seeks to promote pro bono legal services as a way to empower survivors of domestic violence. We all know that domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking affect the people of every single one of our communities in profound ways. Alas, the demand for legal services to assist victims who find themselves in a domestic violence situation far exceeds the availability of free or low-cost legal services, and yet research consistently shows, as the chairman of the Judiciary Committee just pointed out, that if you have got a lawyer, then you are significantly better equipped to prevent future domestic violence than if you don't have a lawyer. In fact, those victims who have a lawyer are three times more likely to be able to prevent future violence than those who are without a lawyer. So this measure is consistent with the spirit and the goals of the legal profession. The American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct encourage attorneys to bridge the gap in representation by providing free legal services to people who are unable to pay them, and this is an especially vulnerable and often destitute population.…”