{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://poliquin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-poliquin-announces-steps-improve-free-legal-services-maine-veterans", "Rep. Poliquin Announces Steps to Improve Free Legal Services for Maine Veterans Through the VA", "2017-11-13", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "ME", "Bruce Poliquin", "P000611", "poliquin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman Bruce Poliquin (ME-02), a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, today announced efforts by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve Veterans\u2019 access to free legal services, including those provided by Pine Tree Legal Assistance from their clinic at Togus. Congressman Poliquin released the following statement:\n\u00a0\n\u201cSo many of our Veterans in Maine and across the Nation are confronted with challenges that require legal assistance, and in many cases they must rely on important services offered through the VA\u2019s network of legal assistance clinics,\u201d said Congressman Poliquin. \u201cI applaud VA Secretary Shulkin\u2019s commitment to supporting these important services for our Veterans and stand ready to assist him and the VA where I can to make sure our Veterans can continue to benefit from them.\u201d\n\u00a0\nToday, the VA signed a Memorandum of Agreement\u2014together with the American Bar Association, The Veterans Consortium and National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium\u2014aimed at improving Veterans\u2019 access to free legal services.\n\u00a0\nCongressman Poliquin opposed portions of President Trump\u2019s 2018 Budget Proposal that would have cut funding for Legal Services Corporation, the entity which funds Pine Tree Legal Assistance at Togus. In addition, the Congressman has opposed multiple amendments in funding bills in years past that would have also stripped this funding.\n\u00a0\nPine Tree Legal Assistance at Togus is one of the more than 150 different free legal clinics hosted by the VA at different locations across the country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://poliquin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-poliquin-announces-steps-improve-free-legal-services-maine-veterans"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.536318100988865, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}