FEES Act of 2026

The FEES Act of 2026 modifies federal laws to limit the amount of legal fees and expenses that individuals can recover when winning lawsuits against the government. It caps these awards at $200,000 per case and restricts recipients to a maximum of three such awards in a single year, with exceptions for class-action lawsuits or cases involving the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill also requires that settlement agreements involving federal regulations or guidance documents cannot include payments for attorneys' fees or litigation costs. Additionally, the Act mandates an independent scientific review within five years to assess the ecological, social, and economic impacts of the legislation on federally managed lands.