Attorney General Phil Weiser urges Congress to keep in place critical legal services for veterans, rural Coloradans

April 23, 2025 (DENVER) – Attorney General Phil Weiser, joined by a bipartisan group of 39 other attorneys general across the country, is urging Congress to keep in place critical funding for the Legal Services Corporation, or LSC.

In a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the House and Senate Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Weiser and the other attorneys general called on Congress to continue LSC’s critical mission of providing legal assistance to people in rural communities, veterans and military families, domestic violence survivors, older adults victimized by scams and fraud, and any others who might struggle to afford an attorney in civil legal matters.

“In America, access to justice must be available to all—not just the rich, powerful, and well-connected,” said Weiser. “Thousands of Coloradans rely on organizations funded by the Legal Services Corporation, including Colorado Legal Services, to access legal help when they need it most. I’m pleased that, just as they have in years past, a broad, bipartisan group of attorneys general are joining together to tell Congress not to let this important funding lapse.”

LSC operates a network of 130 independent legal aid organizations in over 900 offices in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, assisting millions of Americans in every congressional district with legal needs such as securing veterans’ benefits, support with natural disasters, and providing access to legal services for people in rural areas—such as Colorado’s San Luis Valley—where a shortage of lawyers often compounds existing legal issues.

Attorneys general have a long history of supporting federal funding for LSC. With Congressional leaders debating potential budget cuts, the bipartisan group of attorneys general are joining forces to urge leaders from both parties to prioritize funding for LSC, calling the organization a good steward of taxpayer dollars. The letter also notes the corporation distributes 95% of its funding directly to the legal aid organizations providing services to Americans.

Locally, the biggest recipient of funding from LSC is Colorado Legal Services, or CLS. According to a 2022 report, LSC provided nearly one-third—$5.5 million—of the organization’s total funding. The same report found that CLS closed over 4,000 legal matters for their clients, totaling $7.8 million in immediate direct financial benefits.

Read the letter sent to Congress in support of the Legal Services Corporation (PDF download).

Joining Weiser in signing the letter are the attorneys general of Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

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Media Contact:
Elliot Goldbaum
Community Education & Communications Manager
(720) 508-6769 office
elliot.goldbaum@coag.gov