OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Personal Explanation

Floor Speech

Date: Sept. 12, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Legal

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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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