1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pro bono Work to Empower and Represent Act of 2017 or POWER Act . 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