[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 137 (Monday, September 12, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRAD SHERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 12, 2016

  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I voted against H.R. 5063, the Stop 
Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2016, and voted in favor of amendments 
that would reduce its scope. I recognize that the power of the Attorney 
General to impose fines (or civil settlements that have the same 
economic effect) should normally be used to generate funds for the 
United States Treasury. Normally the amount paid by the wrongdoer 
should go to the United States Treasury, and it should be up to 
Congress to appropriate funds. When appropriate, Congress should 
provide funds to mitigate the damage done by the wrongdoer. However, 
the bill that came to the floor of the House was in essence a purely 
Republican bill with substantial flaws. In particular, it did not 
provide a mechanism for major settlements to be reviewed and approved 
by Congress when those settlements provided for payments to third 
parties. I look forward to working next year on truly bipartisan 
legislation designed to address the concerns voiced by the supporters 
of the bill.

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