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116-hr-5341116th Congress

Discouraging Frivolous Lawsuits Act

Sponsored By: Representative Rice, Tom [R-SC-7]

Unknown

Summary

Discouraging Frivolous Lawsuits Act This bill revises requirements concerning (1) citizen suits under the Clean Water Act, (2) permits for wetlands, and (3) wetland mitigation. Litigation costs (including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees) must be awarded to the prevailing party, thus the bill removes a court's discretion to award the fees. A prevailing party is defined as the party that prevails on more than half of the claims at issue. In addition, the bill repeals the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deny or restrict the use of any area as a disposal site for dredged or fill material when the discharge of those materials would have an unacceptable adverse effect on municipal water supplies, shellfish beds and fishery areas, wildlife, or recreational areas. Finally, the bill revises mitigation requirements. Current law requires compensatory mitigation to replace the loss of aquatic resource functions in a watershed when a permit to discharge dredged or fill materials into navigable waters has unavoidable impacts on aquatic resources. This bill prohibits government entities from carrying out compensatory mitigation in excess of existing regulatory requirements.

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Bill Overview

No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Rice, Tom [R-SC-7]

SC • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]

    NV • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Gianforte, Greg [R-MT-At Large]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1]

    MD • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Hartzler, Vicky [R-MO-4]

    MO • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Hollingsworth, Trey [R-IN-9]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Kelly, Trent [R-MS-1]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Marchant, Kenny [R-TX-24]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Meadows, Mark [R-NC-11]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Mooney, Alexander X. [R-WV-2]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Olson, Pete [R-TX-22]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Palazzo, Steven M. [R-MS-4]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Perry, Scott [R-PA-10]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8]

    GA • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Walorski, Jackie [R-IN-2]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Yoho, Ted S. [R-FL-3]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. King, Steve [R-IA-4]

    IA • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Brooks, Mo [R-AL-5]

    AL • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-7]

    OH • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

  • Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 12/6/2019

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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