[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 717 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 717

   To promote pro bono legal services as a critical way in which to 
                empower survivors of domestic violence.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 23, 2017

 Mr. Sullivan (for himself, Ms. Heitkamp, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Murkowski, 
Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cornyn, and Mr. Daines) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To promote pro bono legal services as a critical way in which to 
                empower survivors of domestic violence.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pro bono Work to Empower and 
Represent Act of 2017'' or the ``POWER Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Extremely high rates of domestic violence, dating 
        violence, sexual assault, and stalking exist at the local, 
        State, and national levels and such violence or behavior harms 
        the most vulnerable members of our society.
            (2) According to a study commissioned by the Department of 
        Justice, nearly 25 percent of women suffer from domestic 
        violence during their lifetime.
            (3) Proactive efforts should be made available in all 
        forums to provide pro bono legal services and eliminate the 
        violence that destroys lives and shatters families.
            (4) A variety of factors cause domestic violence, dating 
        violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and a variety of 
        solutions at the local, State, and national levels are 
        necessary to combat such violence or behavior.
            (5) According to the National Network to End Domestic 
        Violence, which conducted a census including almost 1,700 
        assistance programs, over the course of 1 day in September 
        2014, more than 10,000 requests for services, including legal 
        representation, were not met.
            (6) Pro bono assistance can help fill this need by 
        providing not only legal representation, but also access to 
        emergency shelter, transportation, and childcare.
            (7) Research and studies have demonstrated that the 
        provision of legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, 
        dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking reduces the 
        probability of such violence or behavior reoccurring in the 
        future and can help survivors move forward.
            (8) Legal representation increases the possibility of 
        successfully obtaining a protective order against an attacker, 
        which prevents further mental and physical injury to a victim 
        and his or her family, as demonstrated by a study that found 
        that 83 percent of victims represented by an attorney were able 
        to obtain a protective order, whereas only 32 percent of 
        victims without an attorney were able to do so.
            (9) The American Bar Association Model Rules include 
        commentary stating that ``every lawyer, regardless of 
        professional prominence or professional workload, has a 
        responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to 
        pay, and personal involvement in the problems of the 
        disadvantaged can be one of the most rewarding experiences in 
        the life of a lawyer''.
            (10) As representatives of the Department of Justice, the 
        duty of United States Attorneys is to present ``equal and 
        impartial justice to all its citizens'', which should include, 
        especially, survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, 
        sexual assault, and stalking who might not otherwise know how 
        to seek advice and protection.
            (11) As Federal leaders who have knowledge of domestic 
        violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in 
        their localities, United States Attorneys should encourage 
        lawyers to provide pro bono resources in an effort to help 
        victims of such violence or behavior escape the cycle of abuse.
            (12) A dedicated army of pro bono attorneys focused on this 
        mission will inspire others to devote efforts to this cause and 
        will raise awareness of the scourge of domestic violence, 
        dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking throughout the 
        country.
            (13) Communities, by providing awareness of pro bono legal 
        services and assistance to survivors of domestic violence, 
        dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, will empower 
        those survivors to move forward with their lives.

SEC. 3. U.S. ATTORNEYS TO PROMOTE EMPOWERMENT EVENTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and not less often than once each year thereafter, each 
United States Attorney, or his or her designee, for each judicial 
district shall lead not less than 1 public event, in partnership with a 
State, local, tribal, or territorial domestic violence service provider 
or coalition and a State or local volunteer lawyer project, promoting 
pro bono legal services as a critical way in which to empower survivors 
of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and 
engage citizens in assisting those survivors.
    (b) Districts Containing Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations.--
During each 3-year period, a United States Attorney, or his or her 
designee, for a judicial district that contains an Indian tribe or 
tribal organization (as those terms are defined in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
5304)) shall lead not less than 1 public event promoting pro bono legal 
services under subsection (a) of this section in partnership with an 
Indian tribe or tribal organization with the intent of increasing the 
provision of pro bono legal services for Indian or Alaska Native 
victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and 
stalking.
    (c) Requirements.--Each United States Attorney shall--
            (1) have discretion as to the design, organization, and 
        implementation of the public events required under subsection 
        (a); and
            (2) in conducting a public event under subsection (a), seek 
        to maximize the local impact of the event and the provision of 
        access to high-quality pro bono legal services by survivors of 
        domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and 
        stalking.

SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Report to the Attorney General.--Not later than October 30 of 
each year, each United States Attorney shall submit to the Attorney 
General a report detailing each public event conducted under section 3 
during the previous fiscal year.
    (b) Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than January 1 of each year, the 
        Attorney General shall submit to Congress a compilation and 
        summary of each report received under subsection (a) for the 
        previous fiscal year.
            (2) Requirement.--Each comprehensive report submitted under 
        paragraph (1) shall include an analysis of how each public 
        event meets the goals set forth in this Act, as well as 
        suggestions on how to improve future public events.

SEC. 5. FUNDING.

    The Department of Justice shall use existing funds to carry out the 
requirements of this Act.
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