Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, our prison systems are ideally meant to rehabilitate, but all too often, they do exactly the opposite. They are frequently home to widespread, horrible abuse, including physical and sexual violence and unsanitary living conditions. It is unacceptable to subject any person to such conditions--but, particularly, our youth to this kind of mistreatment. Our system makes it incredibly difficult for young people to file a legal complaint with huge burdens imposed if they want to file a lawsuit, and major barriers to legal representation. Mr. Speaker, I was a public defender here in Washington, D.C., at the start of my career, and I am certain that this is no way to treat children that we are trying to rehabilitate and prepare for society and prepare for success in their communities. These circumstances only make it more difficult for young people and children and, in fact, they keep them in abusive and delinquency cycles. This legislation, however, will remove some of those barriers for incarcerated juveniles to take their abusers to court and to seek remedies for mistreatment by their correctional institutions. This bill will take us one step closer to desperately needed reform in our criminal justice system and will help to protect our incarcerated youth. Mr. Speaker, I really thank and applaud Congresswoman Scanlon for this important and bipartisan legislation, and it is my honor to support it today.”