Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, praised the bipartisan passage of his legislation, the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2016 (H.R. 5063), in the House of Representatives by a vote of 241-174.
This bill bars the Department of Justice (DOJ), and all other government agencies, from requiring defendants to donate money to outside groups as part of their settlement agreements with the federal government.
Need for this legislation became apparent after a 20-month House Judiciary Committee investigation found that DOJ had engaged in a “pattern or practice” of systematically subverting Congress’s spending power by using settlements from financial institutions to funnel money to left-wing activist groups. This bill would end this practice and restore accountability to the appropriations process.
Congressman Goodlatte released the following statement upon passage of the bill:
“Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, the Constitution is clear: Congress shall have the power to appropriate.
“The practices discovered within the DOJ must be stopped. The passage of this bill by the House ensures the recovered funds are used to benefit direct victims and not special interests, and brings accountability to the Executive Branch as a whole.”
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