Talk Justice, an LSC Podcast: Gene Sperling on the American Rescue Plan and Access to Justice
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Carl Rauscher
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WASHINGTON—Senior Advisor to the president and American Rescue Plan Coordinator Gene Sperling joins Legal Services Corporation (LSC) President Ron Flagg on the latest episode of LSC’s “Talk Justice” podcast, released today. Previously, Sperling served as director of the National Economic Council, and as assistant to the president for economic policy during the Obama and Clinton administrations. Now focusing on implementing the historic $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, Sperling emphasizes that nearly a year after President Biden signed the bill, the real work is underway.
“It’s not just passing the legislation—it’s making sure the legislation works, helps the people it’s supposed to, it’s accessible to them, and that they know about it and the impact it’s having,” says Sperling.
Aimed at helping Americans recover from the impacts of the pandemic, the plan includes a wide variety of initiatives including increasing the Child Tax Credit, creating a national COVID-19 vaccination program and small business grants. Flagg says that while the American Rescue Plan does not include specific funding earmarked for legal aid services, programs like Emergency Rental Assistance have had a profound effect on access to justice. Sperling agrees, adding that giving a renter someone to advocate for them can lead to a “win-win agreement” for renters and landlords, especially when the resources are available to backpay rent.
“But I think at the center of this is a right to counsel,” he continues. “Ultimately, a right to counsel is so essential, and I’m happy that $230 million in American Rescue funds have been dedicated to increasing access to counsel; I'm happy that there’s hundreds of millions of dollars that have been used for court diversion reforms where eviction doesn’t become the first resort but is a last resort.”
Sperling is a strong proponent for civil legal aid services. In implementing government assistance programs, he sees the immense need for trusted professionals that can guide people through understanding the help that is available to them and filling in the necessary applications to obtain benefits.
“I strongly believe going forward, when we do programs like this, there should be dedicated [legal services] funding,” Sperling says. “I think it is also part of a larger strategy we have to have, and how we make sure we are delivering funds to the Americans who need it most in light of the difficult obstacles many of them may face that can only be overcome with a real, live person who cares about them who is trained and qualified to work with them.”
Talk Justice episodes are available online and on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple and other popular podcast apps. The podcast is sponsored by LSC’s Leaders Council. The next episode of the podcast will provide a look at how the pandemic has impacted pro bono legal services.
Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974 to provide financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. The Corporation currently provides funding to 132 independent nonprofit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.