[Comments on S. 919]

GAO commented on S. 919, which would permanently enact the Equal Access to Justice Act. GAO expressed concern over a provision in the bill which would require the payment of interest on court costs or attorneys' fees awarded pursuant to judgments against the United States. GAO noted that, under the provision: (1) debt collection by offsets against fee awards would be hampered; (2) the applicable rate of interest would be established under the Contract Disputes Act, rather than being based on the yield of Treasury bills, which is usually used as the rate of interest on judgments; (3) fee awards under the Equal Access to Justice Act would be treated differently from fee awards under other statutes; and (4) the government's processing costs for fee awards would increase because the Department of the Treasury would be required to send fee award payments by registered or certified mail. Accordingly, GAO recommended that the provision be deleted.