H.R. 9735

119 HR 9735 IH: Clinics for Law students Investigating and Navigating Claims Assistance Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-07-16
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 9735  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.
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  .
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:
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, including through the internal claims procedure and external review process of the plan;
(B)
in actions brought under section 502;
(C)
in actions brought against a participant or beneficiary by a health care provider or facility regarding unpaid out-of-pocket costs; and
(D)
in any other action relating to—
(i)
the enforcement of title I of this Act; and
(ii)
the receipt of benefits under employee welfare benefit plans, as determined by the Secretary.
(2)
Supervisory attorneys
In addition to the uses specified in paragraph (1), an eligible institution that receives a grant under this section may use a portion of such grant to pay the costs of providing an attorney to supervise a program supported by such grant.
(c)
Eligible institution
In this section, the term  eligible institution  means an accredited law school that is, or is operated by, an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001(a) )).
(d)
Application
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible institution shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(e)
Amount
The Secretary may not award more than $500,000 to an eligible institution for any fiscal year.
(f)
EBSA coordination
(1)
In general
The Secretary shall require benefit advisors of the Employee Benefits Security Administration of the Department of Labor to coordinate with eligible institutions operating a program described in subsection (a) to assist participants and beneficiaries in challenging denied benefit claims.
(2)
Information sharing
Such benefit advisors may provide participants and beneficiaries with a list of eligible institutions that operate a program described in subsection (a).
(g)
Consumer assistance programs
A program supported under subsection (b)(1) may coordinate with, and make referrals to, a State office of health insurance consumer assistance, health insurance ombudsman, or other program that carries out the duties described in section 2793(c) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300gg–93(c) ).
(h)
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
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