PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Dec 7, 2004
United States Court of Federal Claims Special Trial Judges Act of 2004 - Amends the Federal judicial code to establish within the U.S. Court of Federal Claims special trial judges (currently, special masters) to conduct proceedings on petitions under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services' participation in such proceedings.
Establishes an office of special trial judges within the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Requires the judges of such court to appoint special trial judges, one of whom shall serve as chief special trial judge.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Establishes guidelines for the conduct of proceedings on petitions.
Authorizes review of special trial judge decisions by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and further appeal by the Secretary or an aggrieved petitioner to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to reflect the above changes to the Program.
Sets forth transition provisions for: (1) persons exempted from specified civil service programs by operation of this Act; and (2) persons currently serving as special masters.
Establishes a retirement annuity system for special trial judges and addresses their participation in existing retirement programs.
Amends the Federal judicial code, the Organic Act of Guam, the Act of November 8, 1977, and the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands to include bankruptcy, magistrate, and territorial judges in the definition of "judge" for purposes of Federal employees' life insurance benefits.
People & committees
Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R–UT
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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