CLINIC Assistance Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9735 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9735 To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to establish a grant program to enable law students to assist participants and beneficiaries in certain civil enforcement actions, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 16, 2026 Mr. Courtney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to establish a grant program to enable law students to assist participants and beneficiaries in certain civil enforcement actions, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Clinics for Law students Investigating and Navigating Claims Assistance Act'' or the ``CLINIC Assistance Act''. SEC. 2. ERISA CLINICS. Part 5 of title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C.1131 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 525. ERISA CLINICS AND PRO BONO PROGRAMS. ``(a) Establishment of Grant Program.--The Secretary shall provide grants to eligible institutions for the purpose of planning, developing, or operating an attorney-supervised clinical program, externship, or pro bono program for law students to improve access to benefits under employee welfare benefit plans. ``(b) Use of Funds.-- ``(1) In general.--An eligible institution that receives a grant under this section may use such grant to support programs through which participants and beneficiaries of employee welfare benefit plans can receive representation-- ``(A) in appeals of benefit denials, includ