LSC Funding Bill Moves out of Subcommittee

We’ve blogged a lot recently about the funding plans for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) – most recently here. Well, yesterday the House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee approved the LSC funding bill with a budget of $440 million, $5 million above the president’s request (and a 4.7% increase from last year). The subcommittee also lifted the restriction on LSC grantees against class action suits, OMBWatch reports. This change may allow some legal aid offices to engage in more effective action litigation, particularly in areas such as predatory lending and unfair housing practices that tend to impact large groups of people. The bill now moves to the Appropriations Committee before it can be considered by the full House.

In related news, the NLADA has a short piece with the background of the last two nominees for the LSC Board of Directors, who were announced June 25.