Political Quotes

“I am even more offended by poverty, poverty which locks people out of opportunities for justice, poverty which humiliates people when they cannot be represented, poverty which makes people invisible when courts would take action in their absence; poverty which would deny the poor legal representation. How many of those who have been in this Chamber can imagine what it is like to need an attorney but have no access to help because one cannot afford it? Indeed, if a Member of Congress is subject to legal process in the performance of his or her duties, he or she will receive legal assistance from the Office of General Counsel at no cost. How could we deny those who we represent, who have much less recourse, how could we deny them access or claim to the resources of the country? Mr. Chairman, there is a level of condescension and condemnation of the poor and judgment which is inappropriate here, because this is not only about whether we will see full legal services for the poor and whether Legal Services for the poor will survive.”