More than 250 general counsel are asking Congress to increase federal funding for Legal Services Corp. as the Trump administration seeks to completely cut funding for the group, which offers legal aid to low-income Americans.

In a letter sent Monday, the general counsel of Twitter, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Amazon, Ford Motor Co. and 258 other major companies request Congress “expand access to justice by increasing federal funding for the Legal Services Corporation.” Last month, LSC submitted a budget request for $593 million in 2020. The White House's 2020 budget proposal plans to defund the group, the Trump administration's third attempt to do so.

“Corporate legal departments, law firms and solo practitioners have been increasing their donation of time and money to close the justice gap for many years now,” said John Schultz, the chief legal officer of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and the immediate past chair of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association corporate advisory committee, in a statement. “However, it simply is not enough. We need increased government support to make certain the system is truly providing justice for all.”

Schultz added that “companies recognize that 'justice' is a key ingredient to having a successful society” and defunding LSC would create an “even wider” justice gap in the U.S.

LSC provides legal aid for veterans, small businesses, families impacted by opioids, domestic abuse victims, natural disaster victims and other groups. In parts of the rural South and Mountain West, Monday's letter notes, LSC provides the “only source of legal help for those that cannot afford private counsel.”

“Corporate America understands that the success of companies in America depends on stability in our communities and the ability of individuals and families to move up economically. And that in turn is directly related to an ability to have access to the courts where needed,” said LSC general counsel Ron Flagg in an interview. LSC did not generate Monday's letter, he noted.

Don Saunders, the vice president of civil legal services at National Legal Aid & Defender Association, said he's seen more general counsel promoting civil legal aid in recent years. General counsel have asked Congress to increase LSC funding for the past three years, following each Trump administration attempt to slash the group's budget. The numbers of signees have increased with each letter, Saunders said.

Signees include general counsel based in Colorado, Texas, Minnesota, California, New York and other states across the country. There's also a diversity of represented industries, from mining to retail to tech. Saunders said that's a signal to Congress that LSC funding is a national, bipartisan issue.

“On both sides of the aisle, the business community is hugely respected, and when they speak with such a clear voice it gets the attention of a lot of [Congress] members,” Saunders said.

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