|
|
|
|
  .gif){kind=small}  
   
|
.gif){kind=spacer} |
|
|
|
.gif){kind=small}        
| |||
|
NLADA works closely with the Corporation to maximize the legislative impact that we may have on the Congress. In addition to our lobbying activity on Capitol Hill, our Grassroots Network (click on the link above for more information) augments the message at the local level. We reach out to other national organizations to reinforce our efforts.
Budget ProcessEach year the Corporation submits a formal budget request to the Congress. This year s may be found at http://www.lsc.gov/. Historically the Association has advocated the addition of an annual inflation factor to the Corporation s peak funding level of $400 million in FY 1995. NLADA sent a letter to the LSC Finance Committee during the course of its deliberation on the FY 2002 request. This year NLADA's recommendation to the Corporation was $476.2 million.The Corporation also confers with the Office of Management and Budget in preparation for the Administration s annual submission. The President sent his budget to Capitol Hill on April 9, 2001. Information on the LSC's portion may be found at the "Information on Pending Legislation" link above. After the budget submissions, the annual appropriations ritual begins with hearings in the subcommittees. (See rosters of the appropriations subcommittees with jurisdiction over LSC by clicking on "Committees" above). The last several years have seen no official hearing on the Corporation s request in the Senate, but contentious ones in the House subcommittee. However, this year, for the first time, the House subcommittee has not scheduled a hearing for the Corporation. The House plans to mark up its funding legislation in mid-June.
Congress and the LSC BoardThe Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is likely to receive the 11 nominees to the LSC Board of Directors in the next few months. The Bush Administration has the opportunity to nominate the entire board because all the terms of the Clinton-appointed Board have expired. Historically, NLADA has played a role in the identification of strong candidates for LSC Board nomination. This year NLADA sent a letter to the legal services community, state and local bars and other interested parties asking them to submit names of persons who might attract the interest of the new Administration as they pondered their selections. NLADA sent a list of 38 candidates to the White House. In preparation for the hearing on the nominees, we have briefed the staff of the Chairman and the ranking member and offered our future assistance.
Congressional OversightThere are other venues for LSC-related activity throughout the year. The committees with oversight jurisdiction may hold hearings at the request of any member as long as the Chairman concurs. There have been no oversight hearings on LSC since 1999. These same committees also have responsibility for the reauthorization of the LSC Act. The Act has not been reauthorized since 1980 although there have been several attempts by the House and the Senate over the last two decades to do so. |
||||
|
|
         | |
|
© Copyright, 2001
National Legal Aid & Defender Association,
1625 K Street NW, Suite 800,
Washington, DC 20006-1604
(Phone) 202.452.0620 |
(Fax) 202.872.1031 | info@nlada.org |
