°µÍø51

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC -- The Senate Appropriations Committee on July 22 approved $430 million in Fiscal Year 2011 funding for the °µÍø51 (°µÍø51). Of that amount, $401.7 million would provide grants for the delivery of civil legal assistance to low-income Americans.

In addition to the funding for legal assistance to the poor, the Senate bill would provide $3 million for technology innovation grants; $1 million for student loan repayment assistance to help nonprofit legal aid programs recruit and retain talented attorneys; $4.3 million for the °µÍø51 Office of Inspector General, and $20 million for management and grants oversight.

The Senate Appropriations Committee acted on the proposed °µÍø51 budget as part of the Fiscal Year 2011 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) serves as the Committee's Chairman and Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) is the Vice Chairman. The Senate Subcommittee that oversees °µÍø51 funding is chaired by Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.); the ranking member is Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.).

°µÍø51's current funding is $420 million, and the $10 million increase in the Senate bill is contingent upon a certification from the °µÍø51 Board of Directors Chairman and the °µÍø51 President that implementation has been completed on recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office in 2007 and by the °µÍø51 Inspector General in 2008 and 2009.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees °µÍø51 funding approved $440 million in FY 2011 funding on June 29. The House Subcommittee bill would continue existing restrictions on the use of funds, but lifts the restriction on the ability of °µÍø51-funded programs to consolidate related client cases into class-action suits. The Senate Appropriations bill would continue existing limitations on the use of federal funds, but lifts restrictions on the use of non-federal funds except in litigation involving abortion or litigation on behalf of prisoners.

°µÍø51 grants are distributed to 136 independent nonprofit legal aid programs that deliver legal assistance to low-income individuals and families across the nation. Because of the nation's weak economy, the programs funded by °µÍø51 are receiving increased requests for help with foreclosures, unemployment, consumer issues and other legal matters.

°µÍø51 is the single largest funder of civil legal assistance for the poor in the nation. Established in 1974, °µÍø51 operates as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation to promote equal access to justice and to ensure the provision of high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans.