H.R. 415: To amend chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that in the case of an agency that appeals the ruling of a court under that chapter, and does not prevail on appeal, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and for other purposes.

H.R. 415: To amend chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that in the case of an agency that appeals the ruling of a court under that chapter, and does not prevail on appeal, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and for other purposes.

117th Congress · introduced 2021-01-21 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-01-21 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

To amend chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that in the case of an agency that appeals the ruling of a court under that chapter, and does not prevail on appeal, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill revises requirements governing judicial review of federal agency action. If an agency does not prevail in an appeal of a court ruling, then the court must award the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The award must be paid out of the administrative budget of the office in the agency that filed the appeal.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

To amend chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that in the case of an agency that appeals the ruling of a court under that chapter, and does not prevail on appeal, the court shall award the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

August Pfluger (R-TX), Ami Bera (D-CA)

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

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr415.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr415 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117