Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act

1/11/2023, 1:29 PM
Congress
114

Number
HR - 3279

Introduced on
2015-07-29

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
Doug Collins

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

12/1/2015

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Equal Access to Justice Act and the federal judicial code to require the Administrative Conference of the United States to report to Congress annually for a specified period on the amount of fees and other expenses awarded to prevailing parties other than the United States in certain administrative proceedings and civil action court cases (excluding tort cases) to which the United States is a party, including settlement agreements. The reports must: (1) describe the number, nature, and amount of the awards, the claims involved in the controversy, and any other relevant information that may aid Congress in evaluating the scope and impact of such awards; and (2) be made available to the public online.

The Administrative Conference must create and maintain online searchable databases containing specified information with respect to each award, including the name of the agency involved, the name of each party to whom the award was made, the amount of the award, and the basis for finding that the position of the agency concerned was not substantially justified.

Agencies, including the Department of Justice, must provide the Administrative Conference all information requested to comply with such requirements.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo amend titles 5 and 28, United States Code, to require annual reports to Congress on, and the maintenance of databases on, awards of fees and other expenses to prevailing parties in certain administrative proceedings and court cases to which the United States is a party, and for other purposes.

Policy Areas
Law

Potential Impact
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Government liability
Legal fees and court costs

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary12/31/2015

Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Equal Access to Justice Act and the federal judicial code to require the Administrative Conference of the United States to report to Congress annually for a spec...


Latest Action12/1/2015
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.