ABA president 'staunchly supports' the LSC, said to be on a hit list of programs that could be cut
ABA President Linda Klein. Photo courtesy of the office of the president.
ABA President Linda A. Klein of Atlanta has issued a statement saying the association “staunchly supports a robust Legal Services Corporation to assure access to justice for all."
Klein issued the statement Monday. On Friday, the New York Times reported that the LSC is on a draft “hit list” of programs that could be cut to lower domestic spending.
Klein’s statement said the ABA was committed to the creation of the LSC when it was established in 1974 “and today remains steadfastly determined to support its continued ability to fulfill its mission.”
“Our nation’s core values are reflected in the LSC’s work in securing housing for veterans, freeing seniors from scams, serving rural areas when others won’t, protecting battered women, helping disaster survivors back to their feet, and many others,” Klein said.
The New York Times report says other programs on the hit list are the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Export-Import Bank, AmeriCorps and the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities.
Elimination of all of the programs on the draft list would save about $2.5 billion a year, a “comparatively small” savings compared to projected spending of $4 trillion this year, the New York Times reports.
Updated 11 a.m. to correctly state that the statement was issued Monday.
