If the Court determines that there exists no nonprofit or-
ganization that would be an appropriate recipient of funds
under this section for the purposes referred to in para-
graph (1) and that it is consistent with the mission of the
Court, the Court shall provide financial assistance, by
grant or contract, directly to legal assistance entities for
purposes of permitting such entities to carry out programs
described in subsection (b).
‘‘(b)(1) A program referred to in subsection (a) is any
program under which a legal assistance entity uses finan-
cial assistance under this section to provide assistance or
carry out activities (including assistance, services, or ac-
tivities referred to in paragraph (3)) in order to ensure
that individuals described in paragraph (2) receive, with-
out charge, legal assistance in connection with decisions
to which section 7252(a) of this title may apply or with
other proceedings before the Court.
‘‘(2) An individual referred to in paragraph (1) is any
veteran or other person who—
‘‘(A) is or seeks to be a party to an action be-
fore the Court; and
‘‘(B) cannot, as determined by the Court or the
entity concerned, afford the costs of legal advice and
representation in connection with that action.
‘‘(3) Assistance, services, and activities under a pro-
gram described in this subsection may include the follow-
ing for individuals described in paragraph (2) in connec-
tion with proceedings before the Court:
‘‘(A) Financial assistance to defray the ex-
penses of legal advice or representation (other than
payment of attorney fees) by attorneys, clinical law
programs of law schools, and veterans service orga-
nizations.
‘‘(B) Case screening and referral services for
purposes of referring cases to pro bono attorneys
and such programs and organizations.
‘‘(C) Education and training of attorneys and
other legal personnel who may appear before the
Court by attorneys and such programs and organiza-
tions.
‘‘(D) Encouragement and facilitation of the pro
bono representation by attorneys and such programs
and organizations.
‘‘(4) A legal assistance entity that receives financial
assistance described in subsection (a) to carry out a pro-
gram under this subsection shall make such contributions
(including in-kind contributions) to the program as the
nonprofit organization or the Court, as the case may be,
shall specify when providing the assistance.
‘‘(5) A legal assistance entity that receives financial
assistance under subsection (a) to carry out a program
described in this subsection may not require or request
the payment of a charge or fee in connection with the pro-
gram by or on behalf of any individual described in para-
graph (2).
‘‘(c)(1)(A) From amounts appropriated to the De-
partment for each of fiscal years 1997 through 2003 for
the payment of compensation and pension, the Secretary
shall transfer to the Court the amount specified under
subparagraph (B) for each such fiscal year, and such
funds shall be available for use by the Court only in ac-
cordance with this section.
‘‘(B) The amount to be transferred to the Court
under subparagraph (A) for any fiscal year is $700,000
for fiscal year 1997 and the same amount for each suc-
ceeding fiscal year through fiscal year 2003 increased by
3 percent per year, reduced for any such fiscal year by
such amount as may otherwise be specifically appropriated
for the purposes of the program under this section for that
fiscal year.
‘‘(2) The Court shall provide funds available to it for
the purposes of the program under this section to a non-
profit organization described in subsection (a)(1). Such
funds shall be provided to such organization in advance
or by way of reimbursement, to cover some or all of the
administrative costs of the organization in providing finan-
cial assistance to legal assistance entities carrying out pro-
grams described in subsection (b).
‘‘(3) Funds shall be provided under this subsection
pursuant to a written agreement entered into by the Court
and the organization receiving the funds.
‘‘(d) A nonprofit organization may—
‘‘(1) accept funds, in advance or by way of re-
imbursement, from the Court under subsection
(a)(1) in order to provide the financial assistance re-
ferred to in that subsection;
‘‘(2) provide financial assistance by grant or
contract to legal assistance entities under this sec-
tion for purposes of permitting such entities to carry
out programs described in subsection (b);
‘‘(3) administer any such grant or contract; and
‘‘(4) accept funds, in advance or by way of re-
imbursement, from the Court under subsection (c) in
order to cover the administrative costs referred to in
that subsection.
‘‘(e)(1) Not later than February 1 of each year, the
Court shall submit to Congress a report on the funds and
financial assistance provided under this section during the
preceding fiscal year. Based on the information provided
the Court by entities receiving such funds and assistance,
each report shall—
‘‘(A) set forth the amount, if any, of funds pro-
vided to nonprofit organizations under paragraph
(1) of subsection (a) during the fiscal year covered
by the report;
‘‘(B) set forth the amount, if any, of financial
assistance provided to legal assistance entities pur-
suant to paragraph (1) of subsection (a) or under
paragraph (2) of that subsection during that fiscal
year;
‘‘(C) set forth the amount, if any, of funds pro-
vided to nonprofit organizations under subsection (c)
during that fiscal year; and
‘‘(D) describe the programs carried out under
this section during that fiscal year.
‘‘(2) The Court may require that any nonprofit orga-
nization and any legal assistance entity to which funds or
financial assistance are provided under this section provide
the Court with such information on the programs carried
out under this section as the Court determines necessary
to prepare a report under this subsection.
‘‘(f) For the purposes of this section:
‘‘(1) The term ‘nonprofit organization’ means
any not-for-profit organization that is involved with
the provision of legal assistance to persons unable to
afford such assistance.
‘‘(2) The term ‘legal assistance entity’ means a
not-for-profit organization or veterans service orga-
nization capable of providing legal assistance to per-
sons with respect to matters before the Court.
‘‘(3) The term ‘veterans service organization’
means an organization referred to in section
5902(a)(1) of this title, including an organization
approved by the Secretary under that section.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 7286 the following new
item:
‘‘7287. Legal assistance for financially needy veterans in proceedings before the
Court.’’.
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