Steve Simon: “I thank Ranking Member Raskin for the time. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to speak in this Chamber as a survivor.…”

“I thank Ranking Member Raskin for the time. Mr. Speaker, I am honored today to speak in this Chamber as a survivor. Folks know back home that I have been doing this work for 30 years, day in and day out. As a survivor, I almost lost my life in my early twenties. I am proud to stand with millions of women and girls who have been victims and who are moving toward survivorship in saying no to this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I come with 30 years of experience. I started my career leading the Young Women's Freedom Center, and I stood shoulder to shoulder with young women and girls who had been trafficked and beaten. I have been in morgues. I have been in the tanks of our county jails, literally on my knees, pleading with law enforcement to let young women out who themselves were victims and who were incarcerated wrongly for standing up for themselves while they fought for their lives. I have learned through this work that justice is not a principle. It is our responsibility. Later in my career, I led the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law started by President Kennedy. We expanded access and legal representation for migrants and asylum seekers, many who came seeking peace and solidarity, in search of safety and dignity. Today, as a Representative of California's 12th District, I remain committed to advancing real solutions and making our communities safer. I, too, was a domestic violence advocate for a prosecutor. {time} 1000 I know this work.…”