[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 732 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                  Union Calendar No. 43
115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 732

                          [Report No. 115-72]

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

                            January 30, 2017

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

                             March 30, 2017

Additional sponsors: Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Gosar, 
Mr. Duffy, Mr. Grothman, Mr. Young of Iowa, Mr. Allen, and Mr. Francis 
                           Rooney of Florida

                             March 30, 2017

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
          on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
                  [Insert the part printed in italic]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 
2017''.

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 or enforce any settlement agreement on 
behalf of the United States, directing or providing for a payment or 
loan to any person or entity other than the United States, other than a 
payment or loan that provides restitution for or otherwise directly 
remedies actual harm (including to the environment) directly and 
proximately caused by the party making the payment or loan, or 
constitutes payment for services rendered in connection with the case 
or a payment pursuant to section 3663 of title 18, United States Code.
    (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) Effective Date.--Subsections (a) and (b) apply only in the case 
of a settlement agreement concluded on or after the date of enactment 
of this Act.
    (d) Definition.--The term ``settlement agreement'' means a 
settlement agreement resolving a civil action or potential civil 
action, a plea agreement, a deferred prosecution agreement, or a non-
prosecution agreement.
    (e) Reports on Settlement Agreements.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning at the end of the first fiscal 
        year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
        and annually thereafter, the head of each Federal agency shall 
        submit electronically to the Congressional Budget Office a 
        report on each settlement agreement entered into by that agency 
        during that fiscal year that directs or provides for a payment 
        or loan to a person or entity other than the United States that 
        provides restitution for or otherwise directly remedies actual 
        harm (including to the environment) directly and proximately 
        caused by the party making the payment or loan, or constitutes 
        payment for services rendered in connection with the case, 
        including the parties to each settlement agreement, the source 
        of the settlement funds, and where and how such funds were and 
        will be distributed.
            (2) Prohibition on additional funding.--No additional funds 
        are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection.
            (3) Sunset.--This subsection shall cease to be effective on 
        the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of 
        this Act.
    (f) Annual Audit Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning at the end of the first fiscal 
        year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
        and annually thereafter, the Inspector General of each Federal 
        agency shall submit a report to the Committees on the 
        Judiciary, on the Budget and on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate, on any settlement agreement 
        entered into in violation of this section by that agency.
            (2) Prohibition on additional funding.--No additional funds 
        are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection.
                                                  Union Calendar No. 43

115th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 732

                          [Report No. 115-72]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                             March 30, 2017

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 
          on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed