[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 116 (Wednesday, July 23, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION

                                  _____
                                 

                     HON. ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 23, 2014

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, Friday, July 25th, marks the 40th 
anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation, which was established by 
Congress in 1974, with bipartisan support, including that of President 
Richard Nixon. LSC is a private, nonprofit corporation, funded by 
Congress. Its mission is to ensure equal access to justice under the 
law for all Americans by providing civil legal assistance to those who 
otherwise would be unable to afford it. LSC funds 134 local legal aid 
programs, with nearly 800 offices serving every state and U.S. 
territory.
  I have long been a supporter of legal assistance for low income 
Americans and of the LSC dating back to the 1970s, when I led the 
effort to establish the LSC funded Virginia Peninsula Legal Aid Center, 
Inc. So I know from first-hand experience that LSC-funded legal aid 
programs make a critical difference to low income Americans by 
assisting with their most basic civil legal needs.
  Many Americans are helped by this organization. Three out of four 
legal aid clients are women, and legal aid programs often identify 
domestic violence as one of their top priorities. LSC funded attorneys 
help women seeking protection from abuse, mothers trying to obtain 
child support, families facing unlawful evictions or foreclosures that 
could leave them homeless, veterans seeking duly earned benefits, 
seniors impacted by consumer scams, individuals who have lost their 
jobs and need help in applying for unemployment compensation and other 
benefits, and parents seeking to obtain and keep custody of their 
children.
  Today, 63.5 million Americans are eligible for LSC services, which is 
the highest number in LSC history. Unfortunately, LSC grantees are 
forced to turn away more than 50 percent of eligible clients who seek 
their assistance because of lack of adequate funding. With the growing 
number of Americans eligible for services and increased demand for 
legal services, the need for legal aid attorneys has never been 
greater.
  Mr. Speaker, on this 40th anniversary, I salute the Legal Services 
Corporation and LSC-funded attorneys for the vital work they do every 
day on behalf of millions of Americans who need qualified, competent 
legal counsel. Every day that a legal aid attorney protects the safety, 
security, health, and economic well being of our most vulnerable 
citizens, they bring this nation closer to living up to its commitment 
to equal justice for all.

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