{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-788","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 788","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To limit donations made pursuant to settlement agreements to which the United States is a party, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To limit donations made pursuant to settlement agreements to which the United States is a party, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2023-02-02","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2024-01-11","vote":{"id":"118-2024-h7","question":"On Passage","title":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act","result":"Passed","yea":211,"nay":197,"present":0,"not_voting":24,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll007.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.","date":"2024-01-16"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2024-01-11","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act","result":"Failed","yea":189,"nay":205,"present":0,"not_voting":38,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll006.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2023-02-02","stage":"Introduced in House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill prohibits the federal government from entering into or enforcing a settlement agreement on behalf of the United States that provides for a payment to any person or entity other than the United States. The bill provides exceptions to allow payments that (1) remedy actual harm (including to the environment) caused by the party making the payment, or (2) constitute a payment for services rendered in connection with the case."},{"k":"p","t":"Government officials or agents who violate this prohibition may be removed from office or required to forfeit to the government any money they hold for such purposes to which they may otherwise be entitled."},{"k":"p","t":"Agencies must report annually for seven years to the Congressional Budget Office about the parties, funding sources, and distribution of funds for their settlement agreements permitted by the exceptions in this bill. The Office of Inspector General for each agency must also report annually on any settlement agreements that violate the bill's requirements."}],"words":165},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Bars federal officials from entering into or enforcing settlement agreements of the United States that direct payments to anyone other than the United States, with stated exceptions, and sets related penalties and reporting requirements.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text/eh#H9FF1BCAF034C4FB2BD938397BE0A4B4C"}]},"core_areas":["Limits on third-party payments in federal civil settlement agreements","Penalties for officials who violate the limit","Agency and Inspector General reporting on settlement agreements"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Prohibits an official or agent of the Government from entering into or enforcing a settlement agreement on behalf of the United States that directs or provides for a payment to any person or entity other than the United States.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text/eh#H9FF1BCAF034C4FB2BD938397BE0A4B4C"}},{"text":"Allows payments that provide restitution for or otherwise directly remedy actual harm (including to the environment) directly and proximately caused by the paying party, or that pay for services rendered in connection with the case.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text/eh#H9FF1BCAF034C4FB2BD938397BE0A4B4C"}},{"text":"Subjects an official or agent who violates the prohibition to the same penalties that apply to a violation of section 3302 of title 31, United States Code.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text/eh#H9FF1BCAF034C4FB2BD938397BE0A4B4C"}},{"text":"Applies the prohibition and penalty only to settlement agreements entered on or after the date of enactment, and defines a settlement agreement as one resolving a civil action or potential civil action.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text/eh#H9FF1BCAF034C4FB2BD938397BE0A4B4C"}},{"text":"Requires the head of each Federal agency to report annually to the Congressional Budget Office on settlement agreements with permitted third-party payments, including the parties, the source of the funds, and where and how the funds were and will be distributed; this requirement ends 7 years after enactment.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text/eh#H9FF1BCAF034C4FB2BD938397BE0A4B4C"}},{"text":"Requires each agency's Inspector General to report annually, on a publicly accessible website and to specified House and Senate committees, on any settlement agreement entered into in violation of the section.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text/eh#H9FF1BCAF034C4FB2BD938397BE0A4B4C"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2024-01-11","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-01","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/788/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-788.png","v":"010649e638d5","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 788, 118th Congress: Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023. House: 211 Yea, 197 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 11 Jan 2024."}}