Civil Rights
In response to the Republicans’ controversial parental rights bill, House Democrats plan to introduce alternative legislation Friday that will call for “inclusive” schools and oppose efforts to censor curriculum.
When asked who loses when society doesn’t have enough public defenders, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici replied, “We all do. It’s not fair to the defendant who’s accused of a crime and has a constitutional right to a lawyer. It’s not fair to the victims of the crime. It’s not fair to the judicial system and it’s not fair to the public in general.”
U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici has introduced legislation aimed at tackling sprawling public defender shortages in Oregon and nationwide. The bill, titled the Ensuring Quality Access To Legal Defense Act or "EQUAL" Defense Act for short, would spread $250 million in federal grant money across the country.
WASHINGTON, DC [11/17/22] – Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici introduced legislation to support public defenders and address the public defense shortage.