Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act of 1988
Public Law 100-694 · H.R. 4612 · 100th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 18, 1988 · Law
Sponsor: Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA-4)
Cosponsors (15): Rep. Hamilton Fish, Rep. Clay Shaw,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Federal Employees Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act of 1988 - Amends the Federal Tort Claims Act to include the judicial and legislative branches of Government within the definition of the term "Federal agency."
States that, for actions brought under such Act, the United States shall be entitled to all defenses otherwise available to an employee of the United States which are based upon judicial or legislative immunity.
Makes such Act the exclusive remedy for actions brought against the United States for injury or loss of property, personal injury, or death resulting from the negligent or wrongful act or omission of a Government employee acting within the scope of his or her office or employment. States that this restriction shall not apply to cognizable actions against Government employees for money damages for a violation of the Constitution.
Provides that, upon certification by the Attorney General or the court that the employee was acting within the scope of the employee's office or employment at the time of the incident out of which the claim arose, any action commenced upon such claim in a U.S. district court shall be deemed an action against the United States under the provisions of such Act, and the United States shall be substituted as the party defendant. States that such certification shall conclusively establish scope of office or employment for the purpose of removing such an action to a U.S. district court.
Institutes a corresponding framework with respect to comparable actions against the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), making the TVA the Attorney General's counterpart for certification purposes.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.
- Nov 18, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-694.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 14, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 20, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
- Oct 12, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Oct 5, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 21, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 6, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jun 28, 1988FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Jun 14, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- May 24, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- May 17, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.