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H.R. 3279: Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act

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H.R. 3279: Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-07-29 · Law · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2015-07-29 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Collins, Doug [R-GA-9] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act

Plain 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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Collins, Doug [R-GA-9] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3279, Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act (2015-11-05)

Cosponsors on this site

Steve Cohen (D-TN), Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY), Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-hr3279 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114