The purpose of this rule is to:

Terms Used In 45 CFR 1606.1

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.

(a) Ensure that the Corporation is able to take timely action to deal with incidents of substantial noncompliance by recipients with a provision of the LSC Act, the Corporation’s appropriations act or other law applicable to LSC funds, a Corporation rule, regulation, guideline or instruction, or the terms and conditions of the recipient’s grant or contract with the Corporation;

(b) Provide timely and fair due process procedures, proportional to the proposed action, when the Corporation has made a preliminary decision to terminate a recipient’s LSC grant or contract, to debar a recipient from receiving future LSC awards of financial assistance, or to impose a limited reduction in funding; and

(c) Ensure that scarce funds are provided to recipients who can provide the most effective and economical legal assistance to eligible clients.

(d) None of the following actions are subject to the procedures or requirements of this part:

(1) A reduction of funding required by law, including but not limited to a reduction in, or rescission of, the Corporation’s appropriation that is apportioned among all recipients of the same class in proportion to their current level of funding;

(2) A reduction or deduction of LSC support for a recipient under the Corporation’s fund balance regulation at 45 CFR part 1628;

(3) A recovery of disallowed costs under the Corporation’s regulation on costs standards and procedures at 45 CFR part 1630;

(4) A withholding of funds pursuant to the Corporation’s Private Attorney Involvement rule at 45 CFR part 1614.