LSC Updates reports that the Legal Services Corporation will continue to operate at its Fiscal 2009 funding level of $390 million through Dec. 18, pursuant to the continuing appropriations resolution passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on Oct. 30.

The resolution keeps most government programs, including LSC, running at last year's levels while Congress works to approve the remaining annual spending measures for Fiscal 2010, which began on Oct. 1.

LSC funding is contained in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which has been passed by the House but not the Senate. The House approved $440 million for LSC in June while the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $400 million. The full Senate first took up the bill in early October but debate stalled over an issue related to the 2010 Census. Debate restarted on Nov. 5 and as of this writing, is still ongoing. A measure to limit debate on the bill passed by a vote of 60 to 39, and a vote on final passage is imminent.

The Senate bill would continue existing limitations on the use of federal funds but would lift restrictions on the use of non-federal funds except in litigation involving abortion and cases involving prisoners. The House bill would continue existing limitations on LSC funds and non-LSC funds, but would remove the restriction on the ability to claim, collect or retain attorneys' fees, regardless of the funding source.

The two chambers will have to meet in conference to resolve differences in their versions of the bill before sending a final measure to the White House for the president's signature.