U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) issued the following statement following voting in support of H.R. 732, the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act.

H.R. 732 prevents partisan abuse of settlements. This bill bars all federal agencies from requiring defendants to donate money to outside groups as part of settlement agreements or consent decrees, and requires that settlement money goes either directly to victims or to the Treasury.

“This legislation holds the Executive Branch accountable for its practices and ensures any money received by the federal government goes back into the hands of Americans,” Luetkemeyer said. “During the previous administration, Department of Justice settlements forced defendants to pay billions of dollars to third-party organizations with little or no connection to the case. Often times the organizations were politically aligned with the previous administration. While Attorney General Jeff Sessions has halted this practice, we still must make this reform permanent. It is critical for Congress to maintain its power of the purse and keep a check on any unconstitutional practices.”