Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Oct 9, 2015
Halting Government Overreach Act of 2015
This bill removes exceptions that prohibit a prevailing party other than the United States from being awarded fees and expenses incurred in a civil action (other than a tort action) brought by or against the United States, or in an agency adjudicatory proceeding, if the position of the United States was substantially justified or special circumstances make an award unjust.
The fees and expenses may be awarded if the prevailing party has a direct and personal interest in the action because of an injury that gave rise to the action.
The bill also removes requirements that make parties ineligible for such an award if their net worth exceeds a specified amount at the time the action was filed or the adjudication was initiated. Under the bill, parties may seek an award of fees and expenses regardless of their net worth.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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