Bill Overview
Title: Veterans Legal Support Act of 2022
Description: This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide support, including financial support, to one or more university law school programs to provide veterans with legal assistance.
Sponsors: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Target Audience
Population: veterans
Estimated Size: 19000000
- The bill focuses on providing legal assistance specifically to veterans.
- The legislation involves collaboration with university law school programs, potentially impacting law students and faculty involved in these programs.
- Veterans constitute a significant portion of the global population, including the large number in the United States.
Reasoning
- The policy aims to assist veterans, which represents a diverse group with varying legal needs.
- The budget constraints suggest that not all veterans will receive support; targeted support might focus on those most in need.
- Legal assistance could address issues like benefits claims, housing, employment rights, which could significantly affect wellbeing.
- Law students and faculty might experience indirect benefits through real-world training and opportunities to engage with veterans' issues.
- The policy might not directly impact veterans who do not require legal assistance or those with private resources.
Simulated Interviews
Military Veteran (New York, NY)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I struggle with accessing my veteran benefits and often feel overwhelmed by the legal jargon.
- Assistance from experts who understand these issues would be a huge relief.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired Veteran (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Handling my housing legal issues without help has been stressful.
- If this policy can help with my case, it might ease my anxiety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Law Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's a great opportunity to help veterans directly while gaining practical experience.
- I'm excited about the potential to make a real difference.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Veterans' Rights Advocate (Chicago, IL)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could significantly increase our capacity to help veterans with legal matters.
- Collaboration with law schools will provide more resources and expertise.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Vietnam War Veteran (Miami, FL)
Age: 70 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Navigating the legal system for my health claims is tiring and often confusing.
- Having legal assistance through this policy could make things much more manageable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
World War II Veteran's Descendant (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a step towards recognizing and supporting veteran families.
- Though it's primarily veteran-focused, it might ease burdens indirectly affecting us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Corporate Lawyer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I welcome any policy that enhances resources for free veteran legal aid.
- The policy could help lighten the voluntary load on lawyers like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
University Law Professor (Denver, CO)
Age: 49 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy offers an excellent chance to enhance our clinic's offerings and student learning experiences.
- Connecting students with real veterans' cases is invaluable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Disabled Veteran (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Navigating the disability claim process is daunting without help.
- This policy could provide much-needed support and reduce my stress level.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Researcher (Boston, MA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Research suggests that legal support can significantly improve veterans' quality of life.
- I'm curious to see how effective this policy will be in the long run.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 5: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 10: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Key Considerations
- Potential universities' capacity to expand programs and infrastructure to meet the policy goals.
- Long-term sustainability of funding beyond the initial 5-year period.