Funding for Legal Services Increased


The U.S. House of Representatives last month approved a $28 million budget increase for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). Included in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for the 2008 fiscal year was $377 million—reflecting an 8 percent increase—to maintain and expand this not-for-profit federally created program. LSC was established in 1974 to provide equal access to justice to low-income Americans previously harmed by the lack of quality civil legal assistance. Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV) was instrumental in the passage of this budget increase.