By a vote of 397-18 the House passed HR 4754, the Commerce-State-Justice appropriations bill for FY 2005. The $39.8 billion bill includes $335.3 million for the Legal Services Corporation. The amount is identical to that received last year, but $6 million above the Administration's request and $17 million below the Corporation's.The bill includes language permitting the Corporation to use previously appropriated funds for a loan repayment assistance pilot project.

In his opening statement, ranking member Jose Serrano (D-NY) said that he regretted the inability "to address a serious problem that the restrictions on the use of non-Federal funds pose for the Legal Services Corporation grantees, which face administrative and financial burdens probably unmatched by any other class of Federal grantees, but that is a discussion for another day."

The Senate appropriations subcommittee may mark-up a bill next week, but the bill is not expected to go to the Senate floor before the six week summer recess.