Bill Reinstate Reporting and Tracking of Payments of Equal Access to Justice Act

A recent bi-partisan bill passed the U.S. House which would increase transparency of federal attorneys’ fees payments as well as reinstating tracking and reporting requirements of payments made by the federal government under the Equal Access to Justice Act or EAJA. This would allow the public access to information on the amount of attorneys’ fees being paid under EAJA, to whom the taxpayers’ money is being paid, and from which agencies.
Public Lands Council Executive Director Dustin Van Liew says this bill reinstates the EAJA payment reporting that in 1995 was waived through the Paper Reduction Act.
VanLiew: “So for almost 20 years now, the government has not been tracking how much money has been paid out through EAJA. This bill simply says to the tax payers, We’re going to again provide that reporting on how much money is being paid out on any given suit and to which parties when they challenge federal decisions.
VanLiew shares how this will benefit ranchers as well as tax payers in general.
VanLiew: “It is important for our producers as all tax payers to bbs tracking their tax dollars as to where they are being paid out. Unfortunately, we’ve seen a general uptick since reporting has ended in 1995 but we want to shed light on where these funds are being paid out and who is benefitting from EAJA to be sure that it is operating as Congress intended in 1980.”