Federal Agency Compliance Act

Summary: Federal Agency Compliance Act - Requires a Federal agency and its officers and employees, in administering a statute, rule, regulation, program, or policy (statute) within a judicial circuit, to adhere to the existing precedent respecting the interpretation and application of such statute, as established by the decisions of the U.S. court of appeals for that circuit, with exceptions. Allows an agency to take a position, either in administration or litigation, that is at variance with such precedent if:  (1) it is uncertain whether the administration of the statute will be subject to review by the appeals court that established that precedent or a court of appeals for another circuit; (2) the Government did not seek further review of the case in which that precedent was first established in that appeals court or the U.S. Supreme Court because neither the United States nor any agency or officer thereof was a party to the case or because the decision establishing that precedent was otherwise substantially favorable to the Government; or (3) it is reasonable to question the continued validity of that precedent in light of a subsequent decision of that appeals court or the U.S. Supreme Court, a subsequent change in any pertinent statute or regulation, or any other subsequent change in the public policy or circumstances on which that precedent was based. Requires:  (1) the officers of any Federal agency supervising the conduct of litigation to ensure that the initiation, defense, and continuation of proceedings in the U.S. courts within, or subject to the jurisdiction of, a particular judicial circuit avoids unnecessarily repetitive litigation on questions of law already consistently resolved against the U.S. position in precedents established by the U.S. courts of appeals for three or more other judicial circuits; (2) decisions on whether to initiate, defend, or continue litigation for purposes of this Act to take into account specified factors, including the effect of intervening changes in pertinent law or the public policy or circumstances on which the established precedents were based; and (3) the Attorney General to report annually to specified congressional committees on the Federal agency efforts to comply with such requirements.  Specifies that a decision on whether to initiate, defend, or continue litigation is not subject to court review on the grounds that the decision violates such requirements.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Agency Compliance Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING INTRACIRCUIT AGENCY NONACQUIESCENCE IN APPELLATE 
              PRECEDENT.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 707. Adherence to court of appeals precedent
    ``(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), an agency (as defined 
in section 701(b)(1) of this title) shall, in administering a statute, 
rule, regulation, program, or policy within a judicial circuit, adhere 
to the existing precedent respecting the interpretation and application 
of such statute, rule, regulation, program, or policy, as established 
by the decisions of the United States court of appeals for that 
circuit. All officers and employees of an agency, including 
administrative law judges, shall adhere to such precedent.
    ``(b) An agency is not precluded under subsection (a) from taking a 
position, either in administration or litigation, that is at variance 
with precedent established by a United States court of appeals if--
            ``(1) it is not certain whether the administration of the 
        statute, rule, regulation, program, or policy will be subject 
        to review by the court of appeals that established that 
        precedent or a court of appeals for another circuit;
            ``(2) the Government did not seek further review of the 
        case in which that precedent was first established, in that 
        court of appeals or the United States Supreme Court, because 
        neither the United States nor any agency or officer thereof was 
        a party to the case or because the decision establishing that 
        precedent was otherwise substantially favorable to the 
        Government; or
            ``(3) it is reasonable to question the continued validity 
        of that precedent in light of a subsequent decision of that 
        court of appeals or the United States Supreme Court, a 
        subsequent change in any pertinent statute or regulation, or 
        any other subsequent change in the public policy or 
        circumstances on which that precedent was based.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end of following new item:

``707. Adherence to court of appeals precedent.''.

SEC. 3. PREVENTING UNNECESSARY AGENCY RELITIGATION IN MULTIPLE 
              CIRCUITS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, as 
amended by section 2(a), is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 708. Supervision of litigation; limiting unnecessary 
              relitigation of legal issues
    ``(a) In supervising the conduct of litigation, the officers of any 
agency of the United States authorized to conduct litigation, including 
the Department of Justice acting under sections 516 and 519 of title 
28, United States Code, shall ensure that the initiation, defense, and 
continuation of proceedings in the courts of the United States within, 
or subject to the jurisdiction of, a particular judicial circuit avoids 
unnecessarily repetitive litigation on questions of law already 
consistently resolved against the position of the United States, or an 
agency or officer thereof, in precedents established by the United 
States courts of appeals for 3 or more other judicial circuits.
    ``(b) Decisions on whether to initiate, defend, or continue 
litigation for purposes of subsection (a) shall take into account, 
among other relevant factors, the following:
            ``(1) The effect of intervening changes in pertinent law or 
        the public policy or circumstances on which the established 
        precedents were based.
            ``(2) Subsequent decisions of the United States Supreme 
        Court or the courts of appeals that previously decided the 
        relevant question of law.
            ``(3) The extent to which that question of law was fully 
        and adequately litigated in the cases in which the precedents 
        were established.
            ``(4) The need to conserve judicial and other parties' 
        resources.
    ``(c) The Attorney General shall report annually to the Committees 
on the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the 
efforts of the Department of Justice and other agencies to comply with 
subsection (a).
    ``(d) A decision on whether to initiate, defend, or continue 
litigation is not subject to review in a court, by mandamus or 
otherwise, on the grounds that the decision violates subsection (a).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code, as amended by section 2(b), 
is amended by adding at the end of following new item:

``708. Supervision of litigation; limiting unnecessary relitigation of 
                            legal issues.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives February 25, 1998.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.