[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 117 (Thursday, July 24, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4897-S4899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LEGAL SERVICE CORPORATION'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, Friday, July 25, marks the 40th
anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation, LSC. In 1974, Congress--
with bipartisan support, including that of President Nixon--established
LSC to be a major source of funding for civil legal aid in this
country. LSC is a private, nonprofit corporation, funded by Congress,
with the mission to ensure equal access to justice under law for all
Americans by providing civil legal assistance to those who otherwise
would be unable to afford it. LSC distributes nearly 94 percent of its
annual Federal appropriations to 134 local legal aid programs, with
nearly 800 offices serving every congressional district and U.S.
territories.
LSC-funded legal aid programs make a crucial difference to millions
of Americans by assisting with the most basic civil legal needs, such
as addressing matters involving safety, subsistence, and family
stability. These low-income Americans are women seeking protection from
abuse, mothers trying to obtain child support, families facing unlawful
evictions or foreclosures that could leave them homeless, veterans
seeking benefits duly earned, seniors defending against consumer scams,
and individuals who have lost their jobs and need help in applying for
unemployment compensation and other benefits.
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It is LSC-funded attorneys who help parents obtain and keep custody
of their children, assist parents in enforcing child support payments
and help women who are victims of domestic violence. In fact, three out
of four legal aid clients are women, and legal aid programs identify
domestic violence as one of their top priorities.
I know firsthand the important work of the Legal Services
Corporation. Before I was elected to Congress, I worked as a legal aid
attorney in Polk County, IA. I experienced the challenges--and also the
rewards--of representing people who otherwise would not have the legal
assistance they deserve. And I developed a deep appreciation for the
role that legal aid attorneys play within our system of justice.
Investing in civil legal aid helps ensure that we have equal justice
under the law. That is a fundamental American value, and it is
reflected both in the first line of our Constitution and in the closing
words of our Pledge of Allegiance. As former Justice Lewis Powell said:
``Equal justice under law is not merely a caption on the facade of the
Supreme Court building. It is perhaps the most inspiring ideal of our
society . . . it is fundamental that justice should be the same, in
substance and availability, without regard to economic status.''
Given the vital role played by LSC-funded attorneys, it is disturbing
to note that more than 50 percent of eligible clients who seek
assistance continue to be turned away because of lack of LSC program
resources. 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. On this anniversary, I salute the
Legal Services Corporation and LSC-funded attorneys for the vital work
they do every day on behalf of Americans who need qualified counsel.
Every day that a legal aid attorney protects the safety, security and
health of our most vulnerable citizens, they bring this Nation closer
to living up to its commitment to equal justice for all.
Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I wish to recognize the 40th
anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation, LSC, which falls on
Friday, July 25.
Established with bipartisan support in 1974, LSC is a private,
nonprofit corporation funded by Congress that aims to provide access to
civil legal assistance to Americans who would otherwise be unable to
afford it. LSC is a major source of funding for civil legal aid in this
country and distributes over 90 percent of its annual Federal
appropriation to over 130 local legal aid programs and close to 800
offices across every congressional district and territory.
Millions of Americans rely upon LSC-funded programs each year for
help with their most basic civil legal needs. Every day, LSC-funded
programs help low-income individuals and families fight illegal
evictions, safeguard their financial health, and secure their veterans
benefits. In my home State of Washington, LSC-backed programs have been
helping survivors of the Oso mudslide get back up on their feet and
rebuild their lives.
LSC-funded services are especially important for women across the
country. Over 70 percent of legal aid clients are women and one-third
of LSC-eligible cases involve family law issues such as domestic abuse,
child support, and child custody.
Today, the need for LSC-supported programs and attorneys has never
been greater. According to the Census Bureau, nearly one in five
Americans qualifies for LSC-funded services. Yet recent studies show
that due to financial constraints legal aid offices are forced to turn
away more than half of the eligible individuals coming to them for
help. As we mark this anniversary, I applaud the efforts of LSC, the
programs and services funded by the corporation, and ask that we commit
ourselves to ensuring that Americans of all backgrounds have access to
adequate legal services. LSC is essential to protecting the lives and
liberty of the most vulnerable Americans. We are a better nation for
its 40 years of service and advocacy on their behalf.
Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, July 25, 2014, marks the 40th
anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). With bipartisan
support, including that of President Nixon, LSC was established in 1974
as a private, nonprofit corporation, funded by Congress, with the
mission to ensure equal access to justice under law for all Americans
by providing civil legal assistance to those who otherwise would be
unable to afford it. LSC distributes nearly 94 percent of its annual
Federal appropriations to 134 local legal aid programs and has nearly
800 offices that serve each of the 435 congressional districts and the
U.S. territories.
LSC-funded legal aid programs make a crucial difference to millions
of Americans by assisting with the most basic civil legal needs, such
as helping women get protection from abuse, mothers to obtain child
support, families from unlawful evictions or foreclosures that could
leave them homeless, veterans seeking benefits duly earned, defending
seniors against consumer scams, and individuals who have lost their
jobs and need help in applying for unemployment compensation and other
benefits. In my home State, more than 25 percent of the population is
eligible for LSC-funded legal services. The three programs funded by
LSC served nearly 40,000 Louisianians and closed nearly 16,000 cases
last year.
On this 40th anniversary, I congratulate and commend the Legal
Services Corporation for the vital work they do every day on behalf of
Americans who need qualified counsel. 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.
Every day that a legal aid attorney protects the safety, security, and
health of our most vulnerable citizens, they bring this Nation closer
to living up to its commitment to equal justice for all.
Mr. KING. Madam President, Friday, July 25, marks the 40th
anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). In 1974,
Congress--with bipartisan support, including that of President Nixon--
established LSC to be a major source of funding for civil legal aid in
this country. LSC is a private, nonprofit corporation, funded by
Congress, with the mission to ensure equal access to justice under law
for all Americans by providing civil legal assistance to those who
otherwise would be unable to afford it. LSC distributes nearly 94
percent of its annual Federal appropriations to 134 local legal aid
programs, with nearly 800 offices serving every congressional district
and U.S. territories.
LSC-funded legal aid programs make a crucial difference to millions
of Americans by assisting with the most basic civil legal needs, such
as addressing matters involving safety, subsistence, and family
stability. These low-income Americans are women seeking protection from
abuse, mothers trying to obtain child support, families facing unlawful
evictions or foreclosures that could leave them homeless, veterans
seeking benefits duly earned, seniors defending against consumer scams,
and individuals who have lost their jobs and need help in applying for
unemployment compensation and other benefits.
It is LSC-funded attorneys who help parents obtain and keep custody
of their children, assist parents in enforcing child support payments
and help women who are victims of domestic violence. In fact, three out
of four legal aid clients are women, and legal aid programs identify
domestic violence as one of their top priorities. LSC-funded attorneys
provide critical legal services that would otherwise be unavailable.
In fact, I began my career as one of these attorneys. Beginning in
1969, I worked in Skowhegan, ME for a legal services provider called
Pine Tree Legal Assistance. Although my time predated LSC, today Pine
Tree is funded by LSC and continues to provide high-quality legal
services to those in most need. I learned firsthand during this period
that the work of LSC attorneys is a critical element of making real the
promise of our country to our disadvantaged and disenfranchised
citizens.
Given the vital role played by LSC-funded attorneys, we need to do
better than turn away more than 50 percent of eligible clients who seek
assistance because of lack of LSC program resources. 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. On this anniversary, I salute the Legal Services Corporation
[[Page S4899]]
and LSC-funded attorneys for the vital work they do every day on behalf
of Americans who need qualified counsel. Every day that a legal aid
attorney protects the safety, security, and health of our most
vulnerable citizens, they bring this Nation closer to living up to its
commitment--chiseled in stone above the entrance to the Supreme Court
building here in Washington, DC--``Equal Justice Under Law.''
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