July 26, 2012

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed by voice vote Congressman Cynthia Lummis' (R-Wyo) amendment to the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), legislation passed in 1980 to reimburse individuals who otherwise could not afford to legally pursue claims against the government. Congress intended that EAJA operate as a social safety net program, with reimbursements available for the nation's veterans, seniors and small business. However, as scholarly journals from Virginia Tech and Notre Dame, GAO reports, and open court and tax records show, in recent years EAJA funds have been flowing to environmental organizations filing suit on procedural grounds.