Document: 525 U.S. 255119 S.Ct. 687142 L.Ed.2d 718 121 F.3d 1357, reversed and remanded. SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES No. 97 1642 DEPARTMENT ARMY, PETITIONER v. BLUE FOX, INC. ON WRIT CERTIORARI TO APPEALS FOR NINTH CIRCUIT January 20, 1999 Chief Justice Rehnquist delivered the opinion of Court. 1 An insolvent prime contractor failed to pay a subcontractor for work latter completed on construction project Department Army. The Army having required no Miller Act bond from contractor, sought collect directly by asserting an equitable lien certain funds held Court Appeals Ninth Circuit that §10(a) Administrative Procedure (APA), 5 U.S.C. § 702 waived Government's immunity subcontractor's claim. We hold §702 did not nullify long settled rule sovereign bars creditors enforcing liens Government property. 2 Participating in business development program socially economically disadvantaged firms run Small Business Administration (SBA), contracted with Verdan Technology, Inc., September 1993, install telephone switching system at depot Umatilla, Oregon. Verdan, turn, employed respondent Blue Fox, as construct concrete block building house safety support systems. 3 Under Act, 40 270a 270d, performs "construction, alteration, or repair any public United States" generally must post two types bonds. §270a(a). First, "performance protection against defaults contractor. §270a(a)(1). Second, "payment all persons supplying labor material." §270a(a)(2). gives subcontractors other suppliers "the right sue such payment amount, balance thereof, unpaid time institution suit prosecute said action final execution judgment sum sums justly due him." §270b. Although Army's original solicitation this case furnish performance bonds if contract price exceeded $25,000, later amended solicitation, treated "services contract," deleted requirements. therefore 4 Fox performed its obligations, but it $46,586.14 remained subcontract. After receiving notices had been fully paid, nonetheless disbursed total $86,132.33 completed. In 1995, terminated various another Umatilla project. obtained default tribal court Verdan. Seeing could officers, sued Federal District Court.1 Predicating jurisdiction 28 1331 APA, "equitable lien" paid available appropriated completion project, order directing those it. also injunction preventing paying more money follow-on until was paid. By suit, however, amounts contract, obtain preliminary relief, subsequently replacement remaining plus additional funds.2 6 On cross-motions summary judgment, waiver provided APA apply respondent's claim thus concluded have over accordingly granted motion judgment. split decision, relevant part. See Inc. Admin., 1357 (1997). majority under Court's decision Bowen Massachusetts, 487 879 (1988), waives actions. Based part analysis several our cases examining surety's subrogation, Fox's recover amount withheld attached retained owed received notice pay. stated cannot escape wrongly out when claims." F.3d, 1363. 7 dissenting judge "no matter how you slice claim, seeks treasury compensate failure require bond." Id., 1364 (opinion Rymer, J.). her view, Congress chose protect like through requirements waiving permit States them Because has "conventional wisdom least fifty years," she agree suit. Ibid. petitioned review, we certiorari decide whether suits enforce lien. 523 __ (1998). 8 "Absent waiver, shields agencies suit." FDIC Meyer, 510 471, 475 (1994). Congress, course, wide range suits, including seek traditional damages. Examples are Tort Claims 2671 et seq., Tucker 1491.3 They involved here. Respondent which provides part: 9 "A person suffering legal wrong because agency action, adversely affected aggrieved within meaning statute, is entitled judicial review thereof. seeking relief than damages stating officer employee thereof acted act official capacity color authority shall be dismissed nor therein denied ground indispensable party." (emphasis added). 10 asks us hold, below, provision, actions "other damages," allows place contract. frequently held, strictly construed, terms scope, favor sovereign. See, e.g., Lane Pena, 518 187, 192 (1996) (citing cases); Library Shaw, 478 310, 318 (1986). Such "unequivocally expressed" statutory text. Lane, supra, 192. Respondent's meet high standard. 11 argues, below compels allowance disagree. Bowen, examined text legislative history determine Commonwealth Massachusetts Secretary Health Human Services provision Medicaid State services. State's complaint barred APA's prohibition read interpreting §702's reference damages" nature. 1361 ("Since actions, district APA"). 12 Bowen's §702, turn distinctions between "equitable" distinction driven light language. As recognized, crucial question particular (a term found nowhere §702), rather what meant (the precise §702). language distinguish specific compensatory, substitute, relief. stated: 13 " 'We begin ordinary words employed. "money think, normally refers used compensatory Damages given plaintiff substitute suffered loss, whereas remedies "are all, attempt give very thing he entitled.'' ' '' U.S., 895 (quoting Maryland Dept. Resources Services, 763 F.2d 1441, 1446 (CADC 1985) (citation omitted)). 14 drafters mind time-honored relief." 897. interpretation hinged nonequitable categories remedies. 15 applied overturn disallowing reimbursement Act. one "seeking compensation damage sustained mandated; rather, [was] mandate itself, happens money." 900. substance damages, hence fell immunity. 16 It clear nature here does mean ultimate §702. Liens, legal, merely means end satisfying recovery money. Indeed, their constitute "give entitled," id., (citations internal quotation marks omitted); instead, grants "a security interest property, [the plaintiff] can then use satisfy claim," usually unjust enrichment. D. Dobbs, Law Remedies §4.3(3), p. 601 (2d ed. 1993); see Laycock, Scope Significance Restitution, 67 Texas L. Rev. 1277, 1290 (1989) ("The hybrid, granting securing collection thing"). Commentators warned view anything relief: 17 "[T]he form remedy requires [a] charge should established, enforced, sale partial fund, sequestration rents, profits, proceeds. These steps may, casual misleading remedy, may cause appear something compensatory; closer shows these auxiliary, real object proceeding, pecuniary recovery." J. Pomeroy, Equity Jurisprudence §112, 148 (5th 1941). 18 (equitable foreclosure "results only monetary obviously carry advantages recovering property"). 19 sort constitutes damages"; goal seize attach hands loss resulting falls outside 20 Our holding today accord precedent establishing attaching garnishing Treasury, Buchanan Alexander, How. (1845), property owned States, Ansonia Brass & Copper Co., 218 452, 471 (1910); ex rel. Hill American Surety Co. N. Y., 200 197, 203 (1906) ("As upon buildings grounds"). points nothing suggests intended overrule precedent, let alone 'unequivocally express[es]' intent. 21 Instead, recognizing left without general became insolvent, enacted (and predecessor Heard Act) workers. Munsey Trust 332 234, 241 (1947); 471. But surety posted losses Government. 22 contends suggested Prairie Bank 164 227 (1896); Henningsen Fidelity Guaranty Baltimore, 208 404, 410 (1908); Pearlman Reliance Ins. 371 132, 141 (1962) (stating laborers materialmen fund [retained Government]" subrogated right); ("[N]othing do enforceable rights compensation"). None relied immunity, and, fact, none dealt disputes private parties priority transferred Treasury disclaimed ownership. way disturb established that, unless recoup losses. 23 reversed, remanded proceedings consistent opinion. 24 so ordered. Notes 25 1. named SBA defendant, SBA's favor, affirmed challenged ruling. 26 2. part, undisbursed (approximately $85,000) designated complete. No actually back July months after filed 27 3. subject exceptions, "[t]he liable, respecting provisions title relating tort claims, same manner extent individual circumstances." 2674. "to render founded either Constitution, regulation executive department, express implied liquidated unliquidated sounding tort." 1491(a)(1). federal courts concurrent claims substantive grounds exceeding $10,000 §1346(a)(2).

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