[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 165 (Thursday, December 20, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S8298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                  MARYLAND LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION

 Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I want to congratulate Maryland 
Legal Services Corporation on their 30th anniversary. Established in 
1982 by the Maryland General Assembly, Maryland Legal Services 
Corporation raises and distributes funds to nonprofit organizations 
that provide civil legal assistance to low-income persons.
  As chairman of Maryland Legal Services Corporation from 1988-1995, I 
know firsthand the extraordinary service they provide to Marylanders. 
Maryland Legal Services Corporation's grants have enabled 35 Maryland-
area nonprofits to assist individuals in matters such as eviction, 
foreclosure, domestic violence, child custody, veteran's benefits, and 
health care. To date, Maryland Legal Services Corporation has awarded 
more than $164 million in grants, assisting Marylanders in 2 million 
different legal matters.
  In recent years Maryland Legal Services Corporation's mission has 
become even more critical, as more and more people have turned to our 
nonprofit community for civil legal services. Studies have shown that 
poor households will on average face from 1 to 3 legal problems a year, 
and Maryland is fortunate that Maryland Legal Services Corporation has 
worked tirelessly to ensure that our nonprofit civil legal service 
providers can assist its clients.
  In the Western part of our State, a couple who were 2 months behind 
on their mortgage and close to foreclosure was provided a volunteer 
attorney from Allegany Law Foundation who helped them save their home.
  In Harford County, Legal Aid successfully advocated for a woman who 
was being sued by her credit card company after she had paid thousands 
of dollars to a debt settlement company believing that the company 
would pay off her credit card debt. Legal Aid helped her cancel her 
contract, get a refund and have the lawsuit dismissed.
  A man on the Eastern Shore contacted his local Maryland Legal Aid 
Bureau with concerns about black mold that was growing in his rental 
unit. The landlord refused to remedy the mold situation, so Legal Aid 
staff investigated the situation and helped the man escrow his rent.
  Had these Marylanders not had access to civil legal assistance, what 
would have happened? I submit that inevitably justice suffers. Judges 
are put in the position of trying to provide some assistance and 
advice--while remaining impartial--to one or two unrepresented parties 
before them. Social service agencies absorb additional costs from those 
that are unfairly denied health care or social services benefits. 
Neighborhoods and communities are damaged due to unjust evictions. 
Families are torn apart, and domestic violence and abuse continues 
unabated. Public health and law enforcement costs rise. The rule of law 
is undermined, and Americans come to believe that justice is only for 
the rich, not the poor.
  According to one study, each Legal Aid attorney serves over 6,800 
people, while there is one private attorney for every 525 people in the 
nation. This is not ``Equal Justice Under Law'', as promised by the 
etching at the entrance to the United States Supreme Court. I am 
committed to help close the justice gap by giving the Federal Legal 
Services Corporation the resources it needs from Congress. This must 
include increasing its authorized level of funding and removing harmful 
funding restrictions regarding class action lawsuits and attorneys 
fees.
  Maryland Legal Services Corporation's successes over the last 30 
years are impressive, and while we celebrate all they have been able to 
do, we also recommit ourselves to ensuring that all people have access 
to quality legal representation, regardless of income.

                          ____________________