United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 985 (115th)
Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2017
Introduced
9 February 2017
Last action
13 March 2017 · Introduced
Status
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sponsors
Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6], Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17], Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
10 August 2026
Summary
Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal judicial code to prohibit federal courts from certifying certain class actions unless: (1) each proposed class member suffered the same type and scope of injury as the named class representatives; (2) no class representatives or named plaintiffs are relatives of, present or former employees or clients of, or contractually related to class counsel; and (3) a reliable and administratively feasible mechanism is demonstrated to determine whether putative class members fall within the class definition and to distribute any monetary relief directly to a substantial majority of class members. The bill limits attorney's fees to a reasonable percentage of the payments received by class members or the value of equitable relief. No attorney's fees may: (1) be paid until distribution of any monetary recovery to class members has been completed, or (2) exceed the total amount distributed to all class members. Class counsel must submit an accounting of the disbursement of funds paid by defendants in class action settlements. The Judicial Conference of the United States must use the accountings to prepare an annual summary for Congress and the public on how funds paid by defendants in class actions have been distributed. A stay of discovery is required during preliminary motions in class action proceedings unless necessary to preserve evidence or to prevent undue prejudice. Class counsel must disclose any person or entity who has a contingent right to receive compensation from any settlement, judgment, or relief obtained in the action. Appeals courts must permit appeals from an order granting or denying class certification. Federal courts must apply diversity of citizenship jurisdictional requirements to the claims of each plaintiff individually (as though each plaintiff were the sole plaintiff in the action) when deciding a motion to remand a case back to a state court in a civil action in which: (1) two or more plaintiffs assert personal injury or wrongful death claims, (2) the action was removed from state court to federal court on the basis of a diversity of citizenship among the parties, and (3) a motion to remand is made on the ground that one or more defendants are citizens of the same state as one or more plaintiffs. A court must: (1) sever, and remand to state court, claims that do not satisfy the jurisdictional requirements; and (2) retain jurisdiction over claims that satisfy the diversity requirements. In coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings for personal injury claims conducted by judges assigned by the judicial panel on multidistrict litigation, plaintiffs must: (1) submit medical records and other evidence for factual contentions regarding the alleged injury, the exposure to the risk that allegedly caused the injury, and the alleged cause of the injury; and (2) receive not less than 80% of any monetary recovery. Trials may not be conducted in multidistrict litigation proceedings unless all parties consent to the specific case sought to be tried.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
9 February 2017
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
9 February 2017
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
9 February 2017
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
10 February 2017
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Source: Committee
15 February 2017
Vote
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 19 - 12.
Source: Committee
15 February 2017
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
7 March 2017
Calendars
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 11.
Source: Calendars
7 March 2017
Reported
Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 115-25.
Source: Committee
7 March 2017
Reported
Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 115-25.
Source: Committee
9 March 2017
Floor
The Speaker designated the Honorable Michael K. Simpson to act as Chairman of the Committee.
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Floor
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 180 and Rule XVIII.
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Floor
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 180. (consideration: CR H1974-2000)
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Vote
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 220 - 201, 1 Present (Roll no. 148).
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Vote
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 220 - 201, 1 Present (Roll no. 148).
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Vote
On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 188 - 234 (Roll no. 147).
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Floor
The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Floor
Mr. Kildee moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H1998)
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Passed
The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (consideration: CR H1981-1983)
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Floor
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Floor
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 985.
Source: Floor
9 March 2017
Floor
Providing for consideration of the bills H.R. 720 and H.R. 985.
Source: Floor
13 March 2017
Introduced
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
Votes
9 March 2017 · passed · On Passage · Passed · Official source
Yes 220 · No 201 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 7
- Rep. Ferguson, A. Drew, IV [R-GA-3]Aye
- Rep. McEachin, A. Donald [D-VA-4]No
- Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20]No
- Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]Aye
Showing the first 4 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.
9 March 2017 · failed · On Motion to Recommit with Instructions · Failed · Official source
Yes 188 · No 234 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 7
- Rep. Ferguson, A. Drew, IV [R-GA-3]No
- Rep. McEachin, A. Donald [D-VA-4]Aye
- Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20]Aye
- Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]No
Showing the first 4 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.
Versions
- Referred in Senate · 13 March 2017 · Download file
- Engrossed in House · 9 March 2017 · Download file
- Reported in House · 7 March 2017 · Download file
- Introduced in House · 9 February 2017 · Download file
Documents
11 official files
Referred in Senate (text)
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Referred in Senate (text)
Referred in Senate · EN · 13 March 2017
Referred in Senate (PDF)
Referred in Senate · EN · 13 March 2017
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Engrossed in House (text)
Engrossed in House · EN · 9 March 2017
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Engrossed in House (PDF)
Engrossed in House · EN · 9 March 2017
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Passed House amended
summary · EN · 9 March 2017
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Reported in House (text)
Reported in House · EN · 7 March 2017
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Reported in House (PDF)
Reported in House · EN · 7 March 2017
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Reported to House without amendment
summary · EN · 7 March 2017
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 9 February 2017
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 9 February 2017
ViewDownloadOpen at official source
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Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Introduced in House
summary · EN · 9 February 2017
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Sponsors
- Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] · R · Cosponsor
- · ssju00 · Standing
- · hsju00 · Standing
Related records
- related to → Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2017
- related to ← Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 720) to amend Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to improve attorney accountability, and for other purposes, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 985) to amend the procedures used in Federal court class actions and multidistrict litigation proceedings to assure fairer, more efficient outcomes for claimants and defendants, and for other purposes.
- amends ← An amendment numbered 1 printed in Part B of House Report 115-29 to make technical, conforming, and clarifying changes to the bill.
- amends ← Amendment sought to strike the provision on conflicts of interest.
- amends ← Amendment sought to strike the fee determination based on equitable relief provision.
- amends ← Amendment sought to strike section 1721 to allow discovery to proceed while motions are pending.
- amends ← Amendment sought to exempt civil actions alleging fraud.
- amends ← Amendment sought to exempt civil rights actions from the bill's class action provisions.
- amends ← An amendment numbered 7 printed in Part B House Report 115-29 to replace the substantive text of the bill with a requirement that the bankruptcy asbestos trust report quarterly an aggregate list of demands received and payments made.
Showing 9 of 10 related records.
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/985
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/115/hr/985
- us · 115-hr-985 · source updated 10 August 2026