# 117-hr-9325: EQUAL Defense Act of 2022

117-hr-9325, EQUAL Defense Act of 2022, is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1] (D-OR); status Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-9325
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 117-hr-9325
- Congress: 117
- Title: EQUAL Defense Act of 2022
- Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced: 2022-11-17
- Sponsor: Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 7
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Ensuring Quality Access to Legal Defense Act of 2022 or the EQUAL Defense Act of 2022 This bill establishes and modifies certain programs that support the delivery of public defense services (i.e., legal services for criminal defendants who cannot afford counsel). Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants to state and local governments, tribal organizations, and public defender offices for public defense. A grant recipient must use the grant to establish a data collection process, develop workload limits, and satisfy specified compensation requirements (e.g., pay parity between public defenders and prosecutors). The bill also directs DOJ to award grants to nonprofits and government organizations to train public defenders, court-appointed attorneys, and contract attorneys. Additionally, a state that receives Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program funds must annually submit to DOJ information related to the legal representation of defendants in criminal cases. Finally, it reauthorizes through FY2026 the student loan repayment program for prosecutors and public defenders and otherwise revises the program, including by increasing the maximum benefit amount.

## Cosponsors (7)

- Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (D-TX), 2022-11-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5] (D-PA), 2022-11-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jones, Mondaire [D-NY-17] (D-NY), 2022-11-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2022-11-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] (D-IL), 2022-11-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ), 2022-11-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2022-12-01T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 117-hr-263: Big Cat Public Safety Act
- 117-hr-8404: Respect for Marriage Act
- 117-hr-1842: Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act
- 117-hr-8770: Expanding the VOTE Act
- 117-hr-8448: No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act
- 117-hr-8297: Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act

## Sources
- [117-hr-9325 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/9325)

## Related
- [117-hr-263: Big Cat Public Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-263)
- [117-hr-8404: Respect for Marriage Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-8404)
- [117-hr-1842: Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-1842)
- [117-hr-8770: Expanding the VOTE Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-8770)
- [117-hr-8448: No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-8448)
- [117-hr-8297: Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-8297)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-9325 (as of 2025-11-18).