Washington Letter July 2013

Featured Articles

Federal Government

Appropriations committees approve fiscal year 2014 bills

In the first steps in a long budget battle, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees began approving fiscal year 2014 appropriations bills this month, including measures to fund the federal judiciary and the Legal Services Corporation (LSC).

LGBTQ Legal Issues

Employment non-discrimination bill approved

The proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) garnered bipartisan support recently when the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved for the first time a bill to ban employment-related discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Federal Government

Justice and mental health collaboration bill ready for Senate floor

A bipartisan bill unanimously approved in June by the Senate Judiciary Committee would authorize the U.S. attorney general to award justice and mental health grants to improve mental health services for people who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

Criminal

ABA expresses support for proposed sentencing priorities

The ABA expressed support this month for several tentative priorities proposed by the U.S. Sentencing Commission for the 2013-14 amendment cycle, during which the commission will develop and submit guideline amendments to Congress by May 1, 2014.

Legislation & Lobbying

Legislation seeks to reduce recidivism and prison costs

Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) introduced legislation this month to institute programs seeking to reduce federal prison costs, lower the crime rate and reduce recidivism.

Legal Delivery

Groups develop vision for OAA legal assistance

The ABA expressed support in principle July 11 for “A Vision for Legal Assistance in Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA),” which was developed over the past several months by a diverse group of legal and aging services organizations.

Civil Rights & Constitution

ABA urges WH comments on Senate CIA study

ABA President Laurel G. Bellows urged the White House last month to submit comments to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the committee’s Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program. The study was approved by the committee in December and transmitted to relevant agencies for review with the request that the White House coordinate and submit comprehensive comments.

American Bar Association TM American Bar Association