funded programs. Furthermore, we could probably do nothing to strengthen the Section 221 programs that we will assume with funds from the supple mental appropriation, and some of the smaller ones might have to be eliminated. The question before this Subcommittee is whether and how fast the Corporation should move toward providing equal access to justice for all of the poor. The evidence of need for services is overwhelming., The Directors of the Corporation have determined that the full $140.3 million is needed and can be spent wisely and well during fiscal year 1977. the Subcommittee will approve that full amount. We hope We understand that the entire Congress faces very real pressures among competing interests with legitimate claims for limited funds. The minimum necessary to enable significant expansion is $20 million above the figure proposed by the House Appropriations Subcommittee. An additional increase of that amount, although moving back the date when we can reach our goal of the equivalent of two lawyers for ten thousand poor will nevertheless enable us to make substantial progress toward the goal. - At that level, we could bring legal services within reach of an additional 2.3 million poor persons. Legal services programs could hire the equivalent of 580 attorneys to handle 260,000 additional legal problems a year. In carrying out this expansion we would use a combination of approaches: starting area of statewide programs, adding small individual programs, strengthening the community action funded programs, and expanding established programs into surrounding areas. We would also provide service in newly created programs and experimental units as part of the Congressionally mandated studies of various means to deliver legal services. In addition, the Corporation could provide some increases for existing programs to offset the inflationary pressures of the past five 70-425 0-76-14 years, and could continue the equalization effort to provide additional help for the most seriously underfunded programs. A small amount of money might be available to deal with special problem areas as well. The coming fiscal year can mark a critical turning point for legal services in this country. After years of losing ground to inflation, an extended Congressional debate about the future of legal services, and a period of transition to the independent Corporation, we are now ready to move forward. We respectfully urge the Subcommittee to approve our request so that we can get on with the task that you gave us to ensure equal justice under the law. LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION 733 Fifteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D. C. 20005 (202) 376-5100 May 14, 1976 Honorable John O. Pastore United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Pastore: The Legal Services Corporation has submitted to the Congress a request for an appropriation of $140.3 million for the 1977 Fiscal Year. This represents the first step in a four-year plan to provide legal assistance to the poor at a level equivalent to two lawyers for every 10,000 poor persons. Even that level of service will be only minimally adequate, in a nation that supports 11.2 lawyers for every 10,000 persons in the population as a whole. Of the 29 million poor persons living in the United States and its territories today, only 1.2 million have access to legal services that approaches adequacy. Nearly 12 million have no access to legal assistance at all. The Corporation already has identified more urgent needs for legal services than we could support, even with $140.3 million. At the same time, we have a strong obligation to add substantial resources to existing programs, which have been crippled by a five-year period of more than 30% inflation when their funds did not increase. The House Appropriations Subcommittee has approved $110 million of our request. Although this figure will give us additional resources, it is not sufficient to enable us to make any significant expansion in the areas of the country that are now totally without legal services. Even a modest effort to expand could be undertaken only at the expense of equally pressing demands on the Corporation to strengthen existing programs that are now so severely underfunded. The need for legal services is so overwhelming that such cruel choices should not be imposed. Legal services for the poor are at a critical turning point in this country today. After a period of transition, the Corporation is now staffed and ready to move forward. The question before your Subcommittee is whether and how fast the Corporation may expand programs to reach those who are poor and are not now served. In approving the $140.3 million budget request for submission to the Congress, the Corporation's Board of Directors unanimously determined that the funds were needed and could be allocated wisely and effectively. We hope that you will reach a similar conclu sion. We recognize the fiscal constraints under which the entire Congress must act. However, to undertake any significant expansion at all, the Corporation needs at least $20 million more than the figure proposed by the House Appropriations Subcommittee. An appropriation of $130 million would extend the date when we could meet our goal of minimum service throughout the country. At that level, we estimate that we could reach approximately 2,300,000 poor people who are not now served, adding the equivalent of roughly 580 attorneys capable of handling 260,000 cases. We appreciate the opportunity to appear before your Subcommittee on May 18th to explain in detail how we would utilize these funds and to answer any questions that you and other members of the Subcommittee may have. Your own support for legal services over the years is well known and deeply appreciated. We look forward to working with you to gain approval of an appropriation that will enable us to move closer to the intent of Congress in establishing the Legal Services Corporation "to provide equal access to the system of justice in our Nation." Cordially, Thomas Erlich Thomas Ehrlich |