[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 167 (Tuesday, November 10, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7954-S7955]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           PRO BONO WORK TO EMPOWER AND REPRESENT ACT OF 2015

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 2280, introduced earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2280) to promote pro bono legal services as a 
     critical way in which to empower survivors of domestic 
     violence.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill 
be read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2280) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2280

       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 2015'' or ``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 level 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, preventing further mental and physical injury to a 
     victim and his or her family, demonstrated by a study that 
     found that 83 percent of victims represented by an attorney 
     were able to obtain a protective order compared to 32 percent 
     of victims without an attorney.
       (9) The American Bar Association Model Rules include 
     commentary 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

[[Page S7955]]

     violence or behavior to 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. 450b)) 
     shall lead not less than 1 public event promoting pro bono 
     legal services under subsection (a) 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 on 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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