United States · Law · S
S. 717 (115th)
POWER Act
Introduced
23 March 2017
Last action
4 September 2018 · President
Status
Became Public Law No: 115-237.
Sponsors
Dan Sullivan, Sen. Heitkamp, Heidi [D-ND], Jeanne Shaheen, Lisa Murkowski, Shelley Capito, John Cornyn, Steve Daines, Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT], Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT], Sen. Donnelly, Joe [D-IN], Chuck Grassley, Elizabeth Warren
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
10 August 2026
Summary
Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2017 or the POWER Act This bill requires each U.S. Attorney for each judicial district to lead at least one public event that promotes pro bono legal services as a critical way to: (1) empower survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and (2) engage citizens in assisting those survivors. A similar requirement applies to districts containing Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Each U.S. Attorney shall: (1) have discretion on the design, organization, and implementation of such public events; and (2) seek to maximize an event's local impact and the access of such survivors to high-quality pro bono legal services.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
23 March 2017
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
23 March 2017
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
1 August 2017
Passed
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S4694-4695)
Source: Floor
1 August 2017
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text: CR S4694-4695)
Source: Floor
1 August 2017
Discharge
Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4694-4695)
Source: Discharge
1 August 2017
Committee
Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S4694-4695)
Source: Committee
2 August 2017
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
4 August 2017
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
4 August 2017
Floor
Received in the House.
Source: Floor
23 August 2017
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Source: Committee
17 July 2018
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
17 July 2018
Passed
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6282-6283)
Source: Floor
17 July 2018
Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6282-6283)
Source: Floor
17 July 2018
Floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 717.
Source: Floor
17 July 2018
Floor
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6282-6285)
Source: Floor
17 July 2018
Floor
Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Source: Floor
18 July 2018
Floor
Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
Source: Floor
15 August 2018
Passed
Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate bill by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5669)
Source: ResolvingDifferences
15 August 2018
Passed
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to the Senate bill by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S5669)
Source: NotUsed
16 August 2018
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
23 August 2018
Floor
Presented to President.
Source: Floor
23 August 2018
President
Presented to President.
Source: President
4 September 2018
Became law
Became Public Law No: 115-237.
Source: President
4 September 2018
Became law
Signed by President.
Source: BecameLaw
4 September 2018
President
Signed by President.
Source: President
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Enrolled Bill · undated · Official file
- Public Law · 4 September 2018 · Official file
- Engrossed Amendment House · 17 July 2018 · Official file
- Referred in House · 4 August 2017 · Official file
- Engrossed in Senate · 1 August 2017 · Official file
- Introduced in Senate · 23 March 2017 · Official file
Documents
16 official files
Enrolled Bill (text)
Enrolled Bill · EN
Enrolled Bill (PDF)
Enrolled Bill · EN
Public Law (text)
Public Law · EN · 4 September 2018
Public Law (PDF)
Public Law · EN · 4 September 2018
Public Law
summary · EN · 4 September 2018
Engrossed Amendment House (text)
Engrossed Amendment House · EN · 17 July 2018
Engrossed Amendment House (PDF)
Engrossed Amendment House · EN · 17 July 2018
Passed House amended
summary · EN · 17 July 2018
Referred in House (text)
Referred in House · EN · 4 August 2017
Referred in House (PDF)
Referred in House · EN · 4 August 2017
Engrossed in Senate (text)
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 1 August 2017
Engrossed in Senate (PDF)
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 1 August 2017
Passed Senate without amendment
summary · EN · 1 August 2017
Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 23 March 2017
Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 23 March 2017
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 23 March 2017
Sponsors
- Dan Sullivan · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Heitkamp, Heidi [D-ND] · D · Sponsor
- Jeanne Shaheen · D · Sponsor
- Lisa Murkowski · R · Sponsor
- Shelley Capito · R · Sponsor
- John Cornyn · R · Sponsor
- Steve Daines · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R · Cosponsor
- Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Donnelly, Joe [D-IN] · D · Cosponsor
- Chuck Grassley · R · Cosponsor
- Elizabeth Warren · D · Cosponsor
- · hsju00 · Standing
- · ssju00 · Standing
Related records
- related to ← POWER Act
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/717
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/115/s/717
- us · 115-s-717 · source updated 10 August 2026