Sheila Jackson Lee: “This bill must be passed. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3115, the ``Pro Bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of…”

“This bill must be passed. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3115, the ``Pro Bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2021,'' also known as the ``POWER 2.0 Act,'' which extends the authorization of vital programs that help victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence receive free legal assistance--without which they would be unlikely to receive any semblance of justice, let alone safety and security. No community is safe from domestic violence. It touches people of every socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity--in red states and blue states Nearly a quarter of women in this country experience domestic violence or sexual assault at some point in their lives. Many victims of domestic violence are poor, helpless, and living in underserved communities. Many are mere children. In Texas, 40.1 percent of women and 34.9 percent of men experience intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner rape and/or intimate partner stalking in their lifetimes. Thousands of incidents are reported daily. On a single day in 2020, domestic violence hotlines across the country received 21,321 calls--an average of almost 15 calls every minute. The provision of legal services following the first occurrence of domestic violence can be a proactive solution that minimizes the likelihood of victims experiencing farther incidents of abuse.…”