ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO

A bill that would require losing parties in many federal lawsuits to pay the other side's legal fees cleared the House today in a 232-193 vote. Lawmakers rejected one amendment that would have capped the loser's obligation at 25 percent of the winner's legal costs, and another proposal to award attorney fees to the defendant only in cases ruled to be "frivolous." Two additional legal reform bills that would limit damage payments and make it harder for plaintiffs to win securities fraud cases remain on the House agenda for this week.