BY ANDREW MENEZES AND SEAN MCMINN

U.S. taxpayers paid out more than $900,000 in the most recent fiscal year to settle claims on Capitol Hill, the highest amount in 10 years.

That’s according to statistics released Thursday by the Office of Compliance, the independent congressional agency established under the 1995 Congressional Accountability Act.

The OOC reported that eight cases were settled for nearly $935,000 in fiscal 2017, which ended on Sept. 30.

The agency released 21 years worth of figures Thursday “based on the volume of recent inquiries regarding payment of awards and settlements reached,” Susan Tsui Grundmann, OOC executive director, said in a statement. A total of 264 claims were settled during that time period, beginning Oct. 1, 1996.