[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5063 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5063

To limit donations made pursuant to settlement agreements to which the 
           United States is a party, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 26, 2016

       Mr. Goodlatte (for himself, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Marino, Mr. 
  Sensenbrenner, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. Issa, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. 
    Franks of Arizona, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Chaffetz, Mr. Labrador, Mr. 
 Farenthold, Mr. Collins of Georgia, Mrs. Mimi Walters of California, 
  Mr. Buck, Mr. Ratcliffe, Mr. Trott, Mr. Bishop of Michigan, and Mr. 
    Duffy) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To limit donations made pursuant to settlement agreements to which the 
           United States is a party, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 
2016''.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON DONATIONS MADE PURSUANT TO SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS 
              TO WHICH THE UNITED STATES IS A PARTY.

    (a) Limitation on Required Donations.--An official or agent of the 
Government may not enter into a settlement agreement on behalf of the 
United States, or enforce such a settlement agreement, if that 
agreement includes a term requiring that any donation be made to any 
person by any party (other than the United States) to such agreement.
    (b) Penalty.--Any official or agent of the Government who violates 
subsection (a), shall be subject to the same penalties that would apply 
in the case of a violation of section 3302 of title 31, United States 
Code.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Settlement agreement.--The term ``settlement 
        agreement'' means a settlement agreement resolving a civil 
        action or potential civil action.
            (2) Donation.--The term ``donation'' does not include any 
        payment by a party to provide restitution for or otherwise 
        remedy the actual harm (including to the environment), directly 
        and proximately caused by the alleged conduct of the party, 
        that is the basis for the settlement agreement.
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