Legal Funding for Poor Announced by Oregon Senators

The Senate recently awarded $390 million in new funding for the Legal Services Corporation.

Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden of Oregon

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - At the urging of Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden, the Senate Appropriations Committee announced the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) will receive $390 million in funds for 2008, an increase of $42 million from the 2007 budget.

The funds will help LSC provide qualified low income individuals and families that have suffered from economic hardship, natural disasters or a national emergency access to the legal system.

“At the foundation of our democracy is every American’s right to representation. Congress created the LSC to protect this right,” said Smith. “For years the LSC has suffered from scarce funding. It’s time for Congress to provide the LSC with the financial support they need and deserve to effectively provide legal services to helpless Americans. Everyone deserves to have access to the legal system, not just those who can afford it.”

“The poor and disadvantaged deserve equal representation, and the Legal Services Corporation has done an outstanding job over the years of providing that service,” said Senator Wyden. “This additional funding will help Legal Services to protect and defend more Oregonians in need of good representation.”

“The American Bar Association is especially grateful to Senator Smith for his leadership to support this critical program,” said William Neukom, President of the American Bar Association. “This success did not come overnight -- Senator Smith has worked for many years with his Oregon constituents, the ABA, and his colleagues in the Senate.”

Legal Aid Services of Oregon, funded through the LSC, serves families in all 36 Oregon counties. Local legal aid programs help low income Oregonians with legal issues, including family law, domestic violence, wrongly denied veteran and social security benefits. In 2006, Legal Aid Services of Oregon received nearly $3.4 million in legal aid from the LSC.

In their letter, Senators Smith, Pete Domenici (R-NM), and Ted Kennedy (D-MA) continued their historic support of LSC by urging Senate appropriators to fund the LSC at no less than the $380 million for 2008. The Senators feared without continued incremental increases in federal funding, many Americans will be denied needed legal assistance in the future.

LSC funding was part of the 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Before the bill’s passage the LSC appropriation request for FY 2008 was $348 million. In addition to exceeding the original requested amount, LSC’s $390 million appropriation was $79.1 million above the Administration’s request.
Source: Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith