House advances funding bill that would leave 2.8 million Americans without legal help
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Maria Duvuvuei
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WASHINGTON – The House Appropriations Committee voted yesterday to approve legislation that includes a cut of more than 50% to the Legal Services Corporation’s (LSC) budget for Fiscal Year 2027. The bill provides $268 million for LSC – a reduction of $272 million.
Currently, LSC is funded at $540 million in FY 2026. LSC’s budget was signed into law by President Trump in January 2026, as a part of a funding package that received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress.
A funding cut of this magnitude would mean that more than 2.8 million Americans could lose access to legal help or see their cases go unresolved — leaving critical legal problems that directly affect people’s safety, stability and health unaddressed. This impact would be especially severe for children, with an estimated 486,000 affected, and for survivors of domestic violence, with nearly 108,000 survivors losing access to protections obtained through legal services.
Members of Congress expressed concerns about the impact of this proposed cut on Americans at the markup yesterday.
“The bill also decimates the Legal Services Corporation, cutting its funding by more than half,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Their work helps veterans, seniors who are victims of financial exploitation, people with disabilities, renters who are facing evictions or are living in unsafe housing conditions, and victims of domestic violence.”
"I am especially concerned about the $272 million cut to the Legal Services Corporation,” said Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-2). “Legal aid organizations funded by the Legal Services Corporation serve every congressional district in the country, including mine. Our constituents turn to these offices when they have nowhere else to go and cannot afford a lawyer. Their value is widely recognized, and support for this work has long been bipartisan.”
As the nation’s largest funder of civil legal assistance, LSC provides direct support to 129 independent nonprofit legal services organizations serving low-income Americans across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
The 2022 Justice Gap study found that due to insufficient resources, LSC-funded organizations cannot serve 49% of the eligible Americans who seek their assistance. Since then, these organizations have experienced a sharp decline in funding from federal programs. LSC grantees have reported losing more than $112 million — over 30% — of their non-LSC funding since 2023.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) introduced an amendment to the bill that would maintain LSC’s current funding level of $540 million for FY 2027.
“Cuts to the LSC would have devastating consequences for underserved communities, stripping resources from families that already struggle to defend themselves and reach the justice that they deserve,” said Watson Coleman. “The LSC is one of the most efficient services that we fund. Thanks to its work, we save money in the long run: for every dollar we contribute in funding, taxpayers get $7 back.”
Rep. Grace Meng (NY-6), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations CJS Subcommittee, spoke in support of the amendment.
"Legal services are fundamental to our justice system’s integrity and the rule of law,” said Meng. “The investment we make in LSC every year helps make sure that our most vulnerable constituents have a fair shot when faced with hardship. It also saves taxpayers’ money by resolving legal issues early and reducing the burden on shelters, health care systems, social services and law enforcement. I thank my colleague for offering this important amendment and I hope we can work together as this process continues to provide strong funding for LSC.”
After additional comments in support were made by Rep. Bishop, the amendment was withdrawn.
LSC-funded organizations help over 6 million people with their legal problems each year. These organizations provide no-cost direct representation, resources and education for civil legal matters involving domestic violence, disaster recovery, consumer scams and fraud, housing and more, to Americans who cannot afford an attorney. Clients eligible for LSC-funded services have an annual income at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. In 2026, this threshold is $41,250 for a family of four living in the contiguous U.S., or $19,950 for an individual.
$268 million would represent the lowest LSC appropriation since 1983. However, adjusted for inflation, LSC’s 1983 $241 million appropriation would be worth $760 million today.
Federal investment in civil legal aid has lagged in recent decades despite its demonstrated economic benefits. An LSC analysis of studies on the return on investment of civil legal services found that for every dollar spent, there is an average return of $7. Based on these estimates, a reduction from $540 million to $268 million — $272 million in lost funding — could translate into roughly $1.9 billion in lost economic benefits for communities nationwide.
“Bipartisan members of Congress have demonstrated time and time again that they understand the need for civil legal services in their communities,” said LSC President Ron Flagg. “To cut LSC funding by over 50% now would amount to a complete failure to address the vast needs of millions of Americans.”
To see how this proposed cut would affect Americans nationally, or in specific states and districts, use LSC’s Funding Impact Calculator.