Justice Manual § 4-6.395

Included in this area is litigation involving four major agencies: the Department of Labor, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Transportation, and the Social Security Administration. In addition, historically, certain special litigation has been assigned. Several of these agencies administer massive benefits programs, but all of them also have many varied programs not related to disability benefits. The defense of individual benefits claims decisions that constitute the vast majority of federal court cases in which these agencies are defendants is generally delegated to the USAOs or, in the case of the veterans-related benefits, are generally handled by the Department of Veterans Affairs and/or the National Courts Section of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch. Federal Programs defends district court cases involving new policy initiatives enacted by Congress or promulgated in regulations, or attacks on existing programs that have wide application or involve significant pecuniary exposure. On occasion, we handle litigation involving individual claims if the unique circumstances of a case warrant such handling.