LSC News

Senators Urge Increased Funding For LSC

Senator Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) has urged Senate appropriators to fund LSC at $380 million for FY 2008, a $32 million increase over LSC's current budget. Domenici made the request to the leadership of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS), which is responsible for funding LSC. Domenici is a member of the CJS subcommittee.

In a press release issued May 4, Domenici said, "Our justice system is designed to allow every citizen the right to representation. To protect this right, Congress tasked the Legal Services Corporation with providing legal services to vulnerable Americans all across the country. But LSC can't effectively do so under current funding levels....To underfund LSC, limiting the number of Americans served, is to deny justice to underprivileged persons in need."

Senator Domenici is a long-time supporter of the Legal Services Corporation. In 1995, during the height of opposition to LSC, he broke party ranks and offered an amendment to significantly increase LSC's FY 1996 budget. Since then, he has consistently advocated for increased LSC funding.

Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) are continuing their historic support of LSC by soliciting signatories for a letter to CJS leaders requesting $380 million for LSC in FY 2008. For years they have sponsored or signed letters to Senate appropriators requesting budget increases for LSC. Last year, a bipartisan group of 52 Senators joined Kennedy and Smith in requesting a $31.9 million increase for LSC in FY 2007.

To read the Kennedy and Smith letter, click here.

To read Domenici's press release, click here.