Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1390 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1390

  Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2024

 Ms. Scanlon (for herself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation.

Whereas, on July 25, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon signed the Legal Services 
        Corporation Act, which created the Legal Services Corporation;
Whereas as stated in the declaration of purpose of the Legal Services 
        Corporation Act, ``there is a need to provide equal access to the system 
        of justice in our Nation for individuals who seek redress of 
        grievances'' and ``a need to provide high quality legal assistance to 
        those who would be otherwise unable to afford adequate legal counsel'' 
        and that ``providing legal assistance to those who face an economic 
        barrier to adequate legal counsel will serve best the ends of justice 
        and assist in improving opportunities for low-income persons'';
Whereas the Legal Services Corporation awards grants through a competitive 
        process and currently funds 130 independent legal aid organizations with 
        more than 900 offices serving every county in every State, the District 
        of Columbia, and the territories;
Whereas the Legal Services Corporation is the country's largest single funder of 
        civil legal aid;
Whereas the Legal Services Corporation grantees provide free civil legal aid to 
        individuals who live in households with annual incomes at or below 125 
        percent of the Federal poverty guidelines;
Whereas, over its 50 years of existence, the Legal Services Corporation's 
        grantees have assisted an estimated 76,000,000 low-income Americans with 
        free civil legal assistance, including 1,900,000 people in 2023;
Whereas the justice gap, defined as the difference between the civil legal needs 
        of low-income Americans and the resources available to meet those needs, 
        has only widened since the Legal Services Corporation's creation;
Whereas nearly 50,000,000 Americans are eligible for the Legal Services 
        Corporation-funded services, including more than 15,000,000 children and 
        7,600,000 seniors;
Whereas eligible constituents span every demographic and live in rural, 
        suburban, and urban areas, including veterans, those affected by opioids 
        and other substance use disorders, survivors of natural disasters, 
        domestic violence survivors, families with children, homeowners and 
        renters, people with disabilities, and the elderly;
Whereas 74 percent of low-income households have experienced at least one civil 
        legal problem that has substantially impacted their lives in the past 
        year;
Whereas low-income Americans receive no or inadequate assistance for 92 percent 
        of their significant civil legal needs; and
Whereas, due to limited resources, the Legal Services Corporation grantees turn 
        away roughly half of the eligible individuals who seek assistance: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) reaffirms that--
                    (A) access to justice is a fundamental American 
                value;
                    (B) the United States must continue to strive to 
                ensure that all Americans have equal access to the 
                judicial system; and
                    (C) the mission of the Legal Services Corporation 
                remains vital to ensuring equal access to justice;
            (2) commends the Legal Services Corporation and its 
        grantees for assisting an estimated 76,000,000 Americans over 
        its 50 years, including 1,900,000 low-income people in 2023; 
        and
            (3) calls for continued prioritization of funding for the 
        Legal Services Corporation--
                    (A) to continue the mission of the Legal Services 
                Corporation Act;
                    (B) to close the justice gap; and
                    (C) to help protect equal access to justice for all 
                Americans, regardless of personal means.
                                 <all>