All Americans deserve quality legal support — enter the Legal Services Corporation
Civil legal services do exactly that.
Every day, in every congressional district, Americans face civil legal problems they can't handle alone — often through no fault of their own. These aren't partisan issues. They involve life-affecting circumstances: a veteran wrongfully denied benefits, a senior scammed by a contractor, a survivor of domestic violence seeking a protection order, a relative trying to adopt a child who has lost his parents.
Without legal help, these problems can spiral, threatening families, livelihoods and community stability.
That's where the Legal Services Corporation comes in.
The four of us come from different political parties, but we share the belief that basic legal support should not be reserved for those who can afford a lawyer. And we believe strongly that any federal program must be accountable, limited in scope and transparent to taxpayers. That's exactly what the Legal Services Corporation delivers.
Nearly 95 percent of the Legal Services Corporation's budget goes straight to local legal assistance providers that operate in every state and territory, including all 435 congressional districts. The rest supports oversight and accountability. Rather than building bureaucracy, the Legal Services Corporation strengthens the work of community-based partners that understand local needs. At a time when Congress is grappling with the responsible use of taxpayer dollars, it stands out as a model of smart, effective investment.
What's more, Congress has placed some of the strictest limitations in government on how LSC funds can be used. By law, grantees are prohibited from engaging in political activity or filing class actions, immigration cases or policy litigation. These guardrails ensure that taxpayer dollars are used for one purpose: helping everyday Americans resolve legal problems before they grow more complex and costly.
And it works. Studies show that every $1 invested in civil legal aid through LSC returns nearly $7 in economic value, including savings for courts, shelters and emergency services, and increased economic productivity. When people can resolve legal problems early, they're more likely to stay in the workforce, care for their families and contribute to their communities. That means fewer costly emergencies and a stronger local economy.
In an era of rising skepticism toward Washington, the Legal Services Corporation is a model of how taxpayer investment should operate: locally delivered, fiscally efficient and laser-focused on real impact.
We've seen the difference legal assistance makes for our constituents — and we know the current lawmakers we all once served with have, too. This isn't just another budget line. It's a lifeline for millions of hardworking Americans.
Congress would be smart to continue this vital investment for our communities across America.
Susan Brooks is a Republican and former U.S. representative from Indiana. Joe Kennedy, a former U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland, is a Democrat and former U.S. representative from Massachusetts. Patrick Murphy is a Democrat and former U.S. representative from Pennsylvania who also served as the 32nd United States undersecretary of the Army. Fred Upton is a Republican and former U.S. representative from Michigan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
a few seconds ago
- Chicago Tribune
California pushes partisan plan for new Democratic districts to counter Texas in fight for US House
LOS ANGELES — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday his state will hold a Nov. 4 special election to seek approval of redrawn districts intended to give Democrats five more U.S. House seats in the fight for control of Congress. The move is a direct response to a similar Republican-led effort in Texas, pushed by President Donald Trump as his party seeks to maintain its slim House majority in the midterm elections. The nation's two most populous states have emerged as the center of a partisan turf war in the House that could spiral into other states — as well as the courts — in what amounts to a proxy war ahead of the 2026 elections. Texas lawmakers are considering a new map that could help them send five more Republicans to Washington. Democrats who so far have halted a vote by leaving the state announced Thursday that they will return home if Texas Republicans end their current special session and California releases its own recast map proposal. Both were expected to happen Friday. However, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to call another special session to push through new maps. Texas House Democrats planning their departure from Illinois and back to AustinIn Los Angeles, Newsom staged what amounted to a campaign kickoff rally for the as-yet unreleased new maps with the state's Democratic leadership in a downtown auditorium packed with union members, legislators and abortion rights supporters. Newsom and other speakers veered from discussing the technical grist of reshaping districts — known as redistricting — and instead depicted the looming battle as a conflict with all things Trump, tying it explicitly to the fate of American democracy. 'We can't stand back and watch this democracy disappear district by district all across the country,' Newsom said. 'We are not bystanders in this world. We can shape the future.' An overarching theme was the willingness to stand up to Trump, a cheer-inducing line for Democrats as the party looks to regroup from its 2024 losses. 'Donald Trump, you have poked the bear and we will punch back,' said Newsom, a possible 2028 presidential contender. Thursday's announcement marks the first time any state beyond Texas has officially waded into the mid-decade redistricting fight. The Texas plan was stalled when minority Democrats fled to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts on Aug. 3 to stop the Legislature from passing any bills. Elsewhere, leaders from red Florida to blue New York are threatening to write new maps. In Missouri, a document obtained by The Associated Press shows the state Senate received a $46,000 invoice to activate six redistricting software licenses and provide training for up to 10 staff members. In California, lawmakers must officially declare the special election, which they plan to do next week after voting on the new maps. Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers — enough to act without any Republican votes — and Newsom said he's not worried about winning the required support from two-thirds of lawmakers to advance the maps. Newsom encouraged other Democratic-led states to get involved. 'We need to stand up — not just California. Other blue states need to stand up,' Newsom said. Republicans hold a 219-212 majority in the U.S. House, with four vacancies. New maps are typically drawn once a decade after the census is conducted. Many states, including Texas, give legislators the power to draw maps. California is among states that rely on an independent commission that is supposed to be nonpartisan. The California map would take effect only if a Republican state moves forward, and it would remain through the 2030 elections. After that, Democrats say they would return mapmaking power to the independent commission approved by voters more than a decade ago. Some people already have said they would sue to block the effort, and influential voices including former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may campaign against it. 'Gavin Newsom's latest stunt has nothing to do with Californians and everything to do with consolidating radical Democrat power, silencing California voters, and propping up his pathetic 2028 presidential pipe dream,' National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Christian Martinez said in a statement. 'Newsom's made it clear: he'll shred California's Constitution and trample over democracy — running a cynical, self-serving playbook where Californians are an afterthought and power is the only priority.' California Democrats hold 43 of the state's 52 House seats, and the state has some of the most competitive House seats. Outside Newsom's news conference Thursday, U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted patrols, drawing condemnation from the governor and others. 'We're here making Los Angeles a safer place since we don't have politicians that will do that,' Gregory Bovino, chief of the patrol's El Centro, California, sector, told a reporter with KTTV in Los Angeles. He said he didn't know Newsom was inside nearby.
USA Today
a few seconds ago
- USA Today
Texas judge rules that Alex Jones' Infowars will be put up for sale once again
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones faced another setback in court as a Texas district judge ruled that his Infowars platform could be put up for sale again. The decision follows a 2024 ruling to halt an earlier sale due to concerns about the auction process. Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ruled on Wednesday, Aug. 13, that Infowars' parent company, Free Speech Systems, was to be placed in the hands of a court-appointed receiver and that the company's assets would be used to pay the $1.3 billion in legal judgments. In 2022, the courts ruled that Jones defamed the families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, in which six adults and 20 children were killed. He made repeated false claims that the massacre was a 'hoax' staged as part of a government plot to confiscate guns from Americans. Gamble's order paves the way for The Onion to try yet again to purchase Infowars and its assets. In December 2024, the satirical news site initially won the court-ordered auction for Infowars, but a U.S. bankruptcy judge blocked the sale, stating that the bankruptcy auction did not result in the best possible the court's latest ruling, The Onion's CEO Ben Collins posted on the social media platform Bluesky on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 'We're working on it. That's all I can say for now.' Reuters and USA TODAY's Jeanine Santucci contributed to this report. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
Fox News
28 minutes ago
- Fox News
American history won't be displayed 'in a woke manner' at Smithsonian, Trump says
Smithsonian museums must represent the U.S. in a "fair" manner and portray both the good and the bad of American history, according to President Donald Trump. Trump made his comments after the White House sent a letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday unveiling plans to conduct a review of its museums and exhibits in preparation for the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026. "We want the museums to treat our country fairly," Trump told reporters Thursday. "We want their museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing." "Our museums have an obligation to represent what happened in our country over the years. Good and bad," Trump said. "But what happened over the years in an accurate way." The Smithsonian told Fox News Digital it was reviewing the Trump administration's letter and would work with the White House, Congress and its governing Board of Regents moving forward. "The Smithsonian's work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history," the Smithsonian said in a statement. Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, weighed in on the matter earlier Thursday, saying left-wing activists had "obscenely defaced" the museum. "The Smithsonian is supposed to be a global symbol of American strength, culture and prestige," Miller posted to X Thursday. "A place for families and children to celebrate American history and greatness. Instead, the exhibits have clearly been taken over by leftwing activists who have used the Smithsonian as yet one platform to endlessly bash America and rewrite / erase our magnificent story. "These activists have obscenely defaced this beloved institution," Miller added. "The Trump Administration will proudly and diligently restore the patriotic glory of America and ensure the Smithsonian is a place that once more inspires love and devotion to this nation, especially among our youngest citizens." The White House's initial letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday said the review would evaluate social media, exhibition text and educational materials. This would be done to "assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals," the letter said. "This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions," the letter said. The review will focus on the following museums: the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Trump has taken previous steps to alter what content is shown in the Smithsonian museums and signed an executive order in March that placed Vice President JD Vance in charge of overseeing the removal of programs or exhibits that "degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy." Vance has already moved to shake things up at the Smithsonian. Artist Amy Sherald canceled an exhibit scheduled to arrive at the Smithsonian in September that included a portrait of a transgender Statue of Liberty at the National Portrait Gallery after Vance claimed the show featured woke and divisive content, Fox News Digital first reported.
