State and Local Bar Associations Honor Congressman Obey: A
Longtime Friend of Civil Legal Services for the Poor
State Bar President D.
Michael Guerin
presented a resolution recognizing Congressman Obey’s vital
efforts in funding for civil legal services
MADISON, August 29, 2005 - The
State Bar
of Wisconsin and the Marathon County Bar Association honored
Congressman David
R. Obey in Wausau on Thursday, in recognition of his long-time support
for
funding for civil legal services. State Bar President D. Michael
Guerin presented
a resolution adopted by the Sate Bar’s Board of Governors
recognizing Congressman Obey’s vital efforts in this area.
The event highlighted Congressman Obey’s work to increase
federal funding
for programs that meet the legal needs of disadvantaged Wisconsin
citizens
at a time when those programs were facing potentially severe funding
cuts tied
to changes in the 2000 federal census.
Congressman Obey’s impassioned, bipartisan advocacy on this
issue resulted
in a critical increase in funding for the federal Legal Services
Corporation
that prevented drastic funding cuts in Wisconsin and 25 other states.
Without Congressman Obey’s efforts, Wisconsin programs that
provide
legal services to the poor would have faced sudden, drastic cuts in
2003, topping
$700,000, or nearly 15% of their total funding. This would have been a
devastating
loss for Wisconsin’s low-income citizens. Wisconsin programs,
such as
the Wausau-based Judicare program, would have been forced to turn away
many
clients with pressing legal needs from vital legal assistance for
which they
are eligible under federal law.
As always, Congressman Obey stepped into the breach to advocate in
Congress
on behalf of the Wisconsin’s most needy. In the face of strong
budget
cutting pressures, he fought in the U.S. House of Representatives to
increase
federal funding by $19 million; an amount intended to prevent drastic
funding
cuts to legal aid programs serving Wisconsin and 25 other states.
Congressman
Obey and others continued to fight to ensure that half of that amount,
$9.5
million, was included in the final version of the FY 2003
appropriations bill
approved by both houses of Congress.
Congressman Obey’s continued and tireless commitment resulted
in dramatically
reducing these cuts and preserving funding for Wisconsin Judicare,
Inc., in
northern Wisconsin, and Legal Action of Wisconsin, elsewhere in our
state and
for similar programs in 25 other states.
The State Bar of Wisconsin is the mandatory professional
association,
created by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, for attorneys who hold a law
license
in Wisconsin. With more than 20,000 members, the State Bar aids the
courts
in improving the administration of justice, provides continuing
legal education
for its members, and assists Wisconsin lawyers in carrying out
initiatives
to educate the public about the legal system.
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