{
  "id": "R40679",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "R40679",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 354592,
      "date": "2009-12-22",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T02:08:03.633356",
      "title": "Legal Services Corporation: Restrictions on Activities",
      "summary": "The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is a private, nonprofit, federally funded corporation that helps provide legal assistance to low-income people in civil (i.e., non-criminal) matters. The primary responsibility of the LSC is to manage and oversee the congressionally appropriated federal funds that it distributes in the form of grants to local legal services providers, which in turn give legal assistance to low-income clients. The LSC appropriation for FY2009 is $390 million. Since its inception, the legal services program has been controversial. Congress, through the LSC Act and various annual appropriation laws, has imposed many restrictions on activities of LSC-funded legal services programs. The Obama Administration and certain Congressional proposals would eliminate some of these restrictions.\nUnder current law, LSC-funded legal services programs may not: (1) engage in partisan litigation related to redistricting; (2) attempt to influence regulatory, legislative, or adjudicative action at the federal, state, or local level; (3) attempt to influence oversight proceedings of the LSC; (4) engage in litigation related to abortion; (5) engage in litigation related to school desegregation; (6) engage in litigation related to draft registration or desertion from the military; (7) initiate or participate in any class action suit; (8) represent certain categories of aliens, except that both LSC and non-LSC funds may be used to represent aliens who have been victims of domestic violence or child abuse; (9) conduct advocacy training on a public policy issue or encourage political activities, strikes, or demonstrations; (10) represent clients in eviction proceedings if the eviction was based on drug-related activities; (11) represent federal, state, or local prisoners; (12) participate in efforts to reform a federal or state welfare system; (13) solicit clients; or (14) engage in activities related to assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing.\nThe Obama Administration\u2019s FY2010 budget proposed that funding for the LSC be increased to $435 million for FY2010 (which would exceed the previous all-time high level of $400 million), and that LSC restrictions on class action suits and attorneys\u2019 fees be eliminated. H.R. 2847, the FY2010 appropriations bill from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS), as passed by the House (on June 18, 2009) would have increased funding for the LSC to $440 million for FY2010 and would have kept the current restrictions on LSC activities, except for the one relating to attorneys\u2019 fees. H.R. 2847, as passed by the Senate (on November 5, 2009), would have increased funding for the LSC to $400 million for FY2010 and would have, in effect, allowed non-federal funds that are received by LSC-funded legal services programs to be used to pay for activities that are prohibited by the LSC, except for litigation involving abortion or prisoners. By contrast, the proposed Civil Access to Justice Act of 2009, S. 718, introduced by Senator Harkin (et al.) on March 26, 2009 (and the House companion bill H.R. 3764, introduced by Representative Robert \u201cBobby\u201d Scott (et al.) on October 8, 2009), would increase LSC funding to $750 million per year and remove most of the restrictions on activities performed by legal services programs that receive LSC funds. \nP.L. 111-117, the consolidated appropriations for 2010 (enacted December 16, 2009), included a provision that appropriates $420 million for the LSC for FY2010. P.L. 111-117 also continues existing limitations on the use of LSC funds (and non-LSC funds) except for the restriction on the ability of LSC-funded programs to claim and collect attorneys\u2019 fees.\nThis report provides background information on the LSC, presents some of the arguments for and against the imposition of the current restrictions on LSC funds, and provides information on when the restrictions were enacted. This report will be updated as warranted.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R40679",
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Appropriations",
    "Domestic Social Policy"
  ]
}