summary
Introduced
01/14/2015
01/14/2015
In Committee
02/05/2015
02/05/2015
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/03/2017
01/03/2017
Introduced Session
114th Congress
Bill Summary
Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act Amends the Equal Access to Justice Act and the federal judicial code to require the Chairman of the Administrative Conference of the United States to report to Congress annually 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. Requires that such reports: (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. Directs the Chairman to create and maintain online a searchable database 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. Directs the head of each agency, including the Attorney General, to provide the Chairman all information requested to comply with such requirements.
AI Summary
This bill, the Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act, requires the Chairman of the Administrative Conference of the United States to annually report to Congress and the public on the amounts of fees and expenses awarded to parties who win cases against the United States in certain administrative proceedings and civil court cases, excluding tort cases. These reports will detail the number, nature, and amount of awards, the claims involved, and other information to help Congress understand the scope of these awards, and will be made publicly available online. Furthermore, the Chairman will create and maintain a searchable online database containing specific details about each award, such as the agency involved, the recipient, the award amount, and the reason why the government's position was deemed not "substantially justified" (meaning the government's stance in the case was not reasonable or well-supported by evidence). Agency heads, including the Attorney General, are obligated to provide the Chairman with all necessary information to fulfill these reporting and database requirements.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. (on 02/05/2015)
Official Document
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