releases: https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-applauds-senate-passage-open-book-equal-access-justice
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-applauds-senate-passage-open-book-equal-access-justice | Congressman Cohen Applauds Senate Passage of Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act | 2018-12-26 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | TN | Steve Cohen | C001068 | cohen.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) applauded today's Senate passage of the Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act he and Congressman Doug Collins (R-Georgia) introduced last year and passed by the House in February 2017. The measure will increase accountability from federal agencies. TheEqual Access to Justice Act(EAJA) was enacted to bring relief to veterans, retirees, small businesses, and other individuals whose limited resources would prevent them from seeking redress against the government.EAJArequires federal agencies to reimburse plaintiffs for legal fees incurred through suits in which the agency pursued an unsupportable position. Since 1995, federal agencies have not been required to publish records ofEAJAreimbursements or the legal justifications behind them, meaning that the public has no access to how much agencies are paying out and whether the payments are justified. TheOpen Book on Equal Access to Justice Actwould bring transparency to theEAJAprocess by requiring the Administrative Conference of the United States to maintain an online database that makesEAJAdata from every federal agency available to the public and to Congress, which has oversight over government spending. Congressman Cohen made the following statement: I thank the Senate for passing this important piece of legislation and thank Representative Collins for his steadfast effort to help us get it through the House. Americans have a right to know what their government is doing, and their government has a duty to be as transparent as possible.Without adequate reporting, citizens' rights cannot be fully protected, and the government risks failing in its duty to its people. I am pleased that the Senate saw the wisdom in joining the House in this important reform that calls for the government to reopen its books to help ensure that all Americans have access to this information. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |