Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, this issue is important not only because it is a matter of decency, common sense and compassion, but it is one that we need to pass this afternoon. Let me remind my colleagues again that this amendment keeps Legal Services at a funding level that is still $30 million less than in 1997, and in fact, it is about $150 million less than it was just a couple of years ago. Mr. Chairman, we are a country founded on the basic principle of liberty and equality before the law, but when people are unable to even access our legal system because they lack representation in the funds to secure a lawyer, we are asking a portion of our society to forgo a fundamental right. The Legal Services Corporation is an avenue for low income Americans to receive legal representation for civil matters. The lawyers who are part of Legal Services provide the guidance and the expertise needed to successfully navigate our complex and often intimidating judicial system. Very few of us could manage the intricacies of our legal system without counsel. Should we expect citizens who do not have the means to hire a lawyer to simply fare on their own? One person's legal problems are no less important than another's, and everyone deserves a fair chance regardless of their income level. What are the civil matters we are talking about? Well, about 70 percent of the national caseload falls into categories in which children are impacted.”