Senator Lankford's Truth in Settlements Act Passes the Senate

Press Release

The Truth in Settlements Act (S.1109), bipartisan legislation to increase transparency around major settlements reached by federal agencies, introduced by Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in April, passed the Senate by unanimous consent late Monday.

"I am grateful to my colleagues in the Senate for supporting legislation that ensures the American taxpayer has full access to review settlements negotiated on their behalf," said Lankford. "The Truth in Settlements Act will create accountability and transparency for federal agencies to follow and provide specific details to the public regarding decisions made by agencies. This bill will also shed light onto settlements that result in new federal regulations, especially when taxpayers are forced to pay the cost for reimbursing legal fees for private parties that sue the government."

"The idea behind this bill is straightforward: If the government is going to cut deals on behalf of the American people, the American people are entitled to know what kind of a deal they're getting," said Warren. "I'm glad the Senate unanimously passed the Truth in Settlements Act to provide more transparency around government settlements. This legislation will shut down backroom deal-making and ensure that Congress, citizens and watchdog groups can hold regulatory agencies accountable for strong and effective enforcement that benefits the public interest."

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