Congress caps what you can recover suing federal agencies—except for vets.
H.R. 9295 — Stop Serial Litigation Act of 2026 · Filed by Michael Rulli (R-OH) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Jun 11, 2026 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill caps attorney fees and expert witness costs that citizens and nonprofits can recover when they win against federal agencies in court or administrative hearings. Most parties can recover no more than $300,000 per year and attorneys can charge no more than $175/hour (or $125/hour for VA and Social Security cases), with exceptions only for those two agencies. The bill also requires more detailed documentation of time and tasks performed.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a cap on recoverable attorney fees and expert costs in suits against federal agencies. While framed as preventing 'serial litigation,' it functions as a cost-shifting device that makes it harder for citizens to afford counsel when challenging government action.
What the text implies
- Caps apply only to non-VA/non-SSA agencies, creating a two-tier system where veterans and Social Security claimants retain stronger fee-recovery rights than other citizens challenging federal action.
- The $300,000 annual cap per party may force nonprofits and small businesses to abandon meritorious claims or settle for less than full relief because they cannot afford to litigate to completion.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
federal agencies (reduced fee liability when sued); the federal government (lower cost of litigation losses)