One likely target is the Legal Services Corporation, a federal agency providing financial support for civil legal aid to low-income people.
Conservatives have long sought its elimination, arguing it has become beholden to liberal causes and noting the Congressional Budget Office has included its defunding as an option to the Senate and House. Eliminating it would save nearly $400 million next year.
But Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah), a senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, this week warned that it’s not a battle worth fighting.
“I think that would be hard thing to do. Even if you wanted to do that, you couldn’t get it through the Senate,” he said.
President Reagan tried to abolish the agency shortly after taking office in 1981 but ran into a wall in Congress.
“It’s been repeatedly tried, but the reality is it’s the only way that a lot of poor folks, especially rural poor, get any kind of legal help,” said Jim Dyer, who served for 13 years as the Republican staff director of the House Appropriations Committee.
“It’s almost like they sat down over there and dragged out all of their old wish list, most of which of has been discarded, and said to themselves, 'Let’s put it on the table and see who salutes,'” he added.
Another proposal embraced by Heritage and the RSC budget plans is the elimination of the essential air service program, a program that subsidizes rural airports serving sparsely populated communities.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she would pull out all the stops to fight for it.
But Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah), a senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, this week warned that it’s not a battle worth fighting.
“I think that would be hard thing to do. Even if you wanted to do that, you couldn’t get it through the Senate,” he said.
President Reagan tried to abolish the agency shortly after taking office in 1981 but ran into a wall in Congress.
“It’s been repeatedly tried, but the reality is it’s the only way that a lot of poor folks, especially rural poor, get any kind of legal help,” said Jim Dyer, who served for 13 years as the Republican staff director of the House Appropriations Committee.
“It’s almost like they sat down over there and dragged out all of their old wish list, most of which of has been discarded, and said to themselves, 'Let’s put it on the table and see who salutes,'” he added.
Another proposal embraced by Heritage and the RSC budget plans is the elimination of the essential air service program, a program that subsidizes rural airports serving sparsely populated communities.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she would pull out all the stops to fight for it.
“What? What?” she exclaimed. “I care about it a great deal.
“It would basically shut down rural Alaska,” she added. “If there is discussion about that, we as the Alaska delegation really have to ramp it up and let people know how critical it is. This is not a nice to have, it’s a must have.”
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), a senior member of the House Transportation Committee who said he was attending his 10th presidential inauguration Friday, echoed Murkowski’s concern.
“That won’t happen,” he said of the possibility of zeroing out the air program. “Remember, Congress still plays a role in this."
The Full Story (January 23, 2017)
“It would basically shut down rural Alaska,” she added. “If there is discussion about that, we as the Alaska delegation really have to ramp it up and let people know how critical it is. This is not a nice to have, it’s a must have.”
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), a senior member of the House Transportation Committee who said he was attending his 10th presidential inauguration Friday, echoed Murkowski’s concern.
“That won’t happen,” he said of the possibility of zeroing out the air program. “Remember, Congress still plays a role in this."
The Full Story (January 23, 2017)
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