Tommy Tuberville and Lance Gooden introduce the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act
In advance of the Biden administration’s decision to finalize a rule that would revive the Obama-era policy of directing corporate settlement funds to third-party organizations, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville and Congressman Lance Gooden are reintroducing their Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act. The bill would prohibit the Department of Justice (DOJ) from allowing defendants to enter quid-pro-quo agreements that entail donations to third-party groups in exchange for reduced fines and tax deductions. This legislation would ensure that any settlements go only to the actual victims, injured parties in the dispute, or the U.S. Treasury. “The practice of funneling settlement dollars to political activists is an unacceptable abuse of the system,” said Sen. Tuberville in a statement. “If money is owed following a settlement agreement, every cent of that payout should go to those directly impacted by the defendants, or back to the Treasury. Public servants should not be allowed to use their influence to line the pockets of individuals who share the political views of the current administration.” Tuberville wrote on Twitter, “The Biden admin shouldn’t use the justice system to bankroll their partisan agenda. I introduced the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act to stop DOJ from directing corporate settlement dollars to third-party, left-wing organizations instead of victims or @USTreasury.” Tuberville introduced this legislation in the last Congress. “Directing legal settlements to third-party groups is nothing short of legal extortion to fund the Biden Administration’s partisan agenda,” said Rep. Gooden. “Congress can no longer allow the Executive Branch to circumvent our Constitutional power of the purse to fund their activist pet projects and must pass my legislation to end this corrupt practice.” The Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act is endorsed by the National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Tax Reform, FreedomWorks, and Americans for Prosperity. Grover Norquist is the President of Americans for Tax Reform. “For too long, the Department of Justice has been misallocating settlement funds from civil suits to provide cash injections to political allies,” said Norquist. “This gross politicization of a government agency should be put to a stop immediately. I am proud to support Rep. Gooden’s bill to codify protections against the DOJ or any government official abusing their power to benefit special interest groups.” Adam Brandon, President of FreedomWorks, applauded the legislation. “The Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act would ensure that settlement dollars go to victims’ funds or to the general fund of the Treasury to be appropriated by Congress, which, as Article I of the Constitution requires, holds the power of the purse over funds spent by the federal government,” said Brandon. “It’s critical that Congress reins in the executive branch and assert its Article I powers, the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act is a crucial part of this effort.” Alex Milliken, Policy and Government Affairs Manager at the National Taxpayers Union, thanked Gooden and Tuberville. “NTU supports the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act and applauds Congressman Gooden and Senator Tuberville for working together to protect taxpayers,” said Milliken. “The practice of diverting billions of settlement dollars out of the hands of victims and toward third-party groups is a dubious practice. Congress should act quickly to put a stop to this agency behavior and prevent the misuse of resources to promote partisan agendas.” The Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act would prohibit settling parties in a federal dispute from reducing their punishments by making “donations” to outside organizations. This was a common practice under President Barack Obama’s presidency. The Obama Justice Department almost routinely required settling parties to pay a portion of their settlement obligations, under the guise of “donations,” to outside groups of the Department’s choosing. Republicans claimed that most of those groups pushed a partisan agenda. Tuberville and Republicans claim that this practice turned federal settlements into “liberal slush funds.” President Donald Trump halted the practice when he was President. Proponents of this legislation argue that without it, the Biden DOJ is expected to finalize a rule allowing the practice to continue to bolster a progressive policy agenda. Original cosponsors in the U.S. Senate include Senators Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Rick Scott (R-Florida), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming). Congressman Gary Palmer is an original cosponsor of this legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Other Congress members cosponsoring this include Reps. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tennessee), Tom Tiffany (R-Wisconsin), John Moolenaar (R-Michigan), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Missouri), Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania), Darrell Issa (R-California), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Claudia Tenney (R-New York), Jake Ellzey (R-Texas), and Ben Cline (R-Virginia). Tuberville is in his first term in the Senate, having been elected in a landslide in 2020, unseating incumbent Sen. Doug Jones. Tuberville is a native of Arkansas who spent forty years teaching, coaching, and sports broadcasting. He and his wife live in Auburn. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Jerry Carl co-sponsors legislation to encourage energy production and stop foreign oil dependence
Rep. Jerry Carl has co-sponsored legislation to help American energy production. The Unleashing American Energy Act would require a minimum of two oil and gas lease sales a year in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Alaska Region of the Outer Continental Shelf, and it prohibits future moratoriums or delays on oil and gas leasing. “At a time when fuel prices are at record highs, the Biden administration has not let up on its regulatory assault on American energy producers. As a result, Americans are paying more for fuel and nearly everything else. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Unleashing American Energy Act, which would reverse Biden’s war on American energy and unleash domestic production. Although this bill won’t solve all our energy problems overnight, it will help lower energy prices and bring much-needed relief to millions of Americans. Under the Trump administration, we had regular oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, and the United States became energy independent. My bill would require two new oil and gas lease sales each year in the Gulf of Mexico and in Alaska, while also prohibiting oil and gas lease sales from being blocked or slowed down again,” said Carl. House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman argued that this legislation will help stop America’s energy dependence. “Today, we are taking a necessary step to end President Biden’s repeated assaults on American energy. The American people continue bearing the brunt of these disastrous policies. Enough is enough. The bills we introduced today will allow us to tap into the rich stores of resources America already has, and further both our energy independence and our innovation in the energy sector. Together with legislation promoting development of American critical minerals and energy independence that our members introduced earlier this Congress, we are advancing an all-of-the-above energy approach that will strength our nation and allow us to lead the world into the future,” said Westerman. According to Carl’s press release, the U.S. Department of the Interior is required by law to publish regular five-year leasing plans. The current plan expires on June 30, 2022. The Biden administration has not initiated the process to publish a new one. The Unleashing American Energy Act is cosponsored by House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-AR), House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Reps. Troy Balderson (R-OH), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Garret Graves (R-LA), Yvette Herrell (R-NM), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Blake Moore (R-UT), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Chris Stewart (R-UT), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), and Robert Wittman (R-VA).
Congress approves bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday; Mo Brooks and Mike Rogers voted against
The United States will soon have a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the nation. The House voted 415-14 Wednesday to make Juneteenth, or June 19th, the 12th federal holiday. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk, and he is expected to sign it into law. Juneteenth commemorates the day the last enslaved African Americans learned they were free. Confederate soldiers surrendered in April 1865, but word didn’t reach the last enslaved Black people until June 19, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to Galveston, Texas. That was also about 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Southern states. It’s the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created in 1983. “Our federal holidays are purposely few in number and recognize the most important milestones,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. “I cannot think of a more important milestone to commemorate than the end of slavery in the United States.” Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, speaking next to a large poster of a Black man whose back bore massive scarring from being whipped, said she would be in Galveston this Saturday to celebrate along with Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. “Can you imagine?” said the rather short Jackson Lee. “I will be standing maybe taller than Sen. Cornyn; forgive me for that because it will be such an elevation of joy.” The Senate passed the bill a day earlier under a unanimous consent agreement that expedites the process for considering legislation. It takes just one senator’s objection to block such agreements. “Please, let us do as the Senate. Vote unanimously for passage,” Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., pleaded with his colleagues. The vote comes as lawmakers struggle to overcome divisions on police reform legislation following the killing of George Floyd by police and as Republican state legislators push what experts say is an unprecedented number of bills aimed at restricting access to the ballot box. While Republicans say the goal is to prevent voter fraud, Democrats contend that the measures are aimed at undermining minority voting rights. Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus took to the floor to speak in favor of the bill. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., said she viewed Juneteenth as a commemoration rather than a celebration because it represented something that was delayed in happening. “It also reminds me of what we don’t have today,” she said. “And that is full access to justice, freedom, and equality. All these are often in short supply as it relates to the Black community.” The bill was sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and had 60 co-sponsors. Democratic leaders moved quickly to bring the bill to the House floor after the Senate’s vote the day before. Some Republican lawmakers opposed the effort. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., said creating the federal holiday was an effort to celebrate “identity politics.” “Since I believe in treating everyone equally, regardless of race, and that we should be focused on what unites us rather than our differences, I will vote no,” he said in a press release. The vast majority of states recognize Juneteenth as a holiday or have an official observance of the day, and most states hold celebrations. Juneteenth is a paid holiday for state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia, and Washington. Under the legislation, the federal holiday would be known as Juneteenth National Independence Day. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., said that he would vote for the bill and that he supported the establishment of a federal holiday, but he was upset that the name of the holiday included the word “independence” rather than “emancipation.” “Why would the Democrats want to politicize this by co-opting the name of our sacred holiday of Independence Day?” Higgins asked. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Mich., replied, “I want to say to my white colleagues on the other side: Getting your independence from being enslaved in a country is different from a country getting independence to rule themselves.” She added: “We have a responsibility to teach every generation of Black and white Americans the pride of a people who have survived, endured, and succeeded in these United States of America despite slavery.” The 14 House Republicans who voted against the bill were Andy Biggs of Arizona, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Doug LaMalfa of California, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom McClintock of California, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Mike Rogers of Alabama, Rosendale of Montana, Chip Roy of Texas, and Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin.
Congressmen call for the reopening of the U.S. Capitol
Today, Congressmen Robert Aderholt, Jerry Carl, Mo Brooks, and Barry Moore joined more than two dozen other leaders, asking Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to reopen the United States Capitol Complex to visitors. The Capitol has been closed since the January 6 attack by a mob of pro-Trump protestors. In March 2020, the U.S. Capitol had restricted access because of COVID-19 concerns. As more and more people become vaccinated, the push to reopen has been becoming louder. However, there are still security concerns. Brooks stated, “The First Amendment to the Constitution establishes the people’s right to petition their government for redress of their grievances. Prior to Pelosi and Schumer’s draconian Capitol access restrictions, the American people could easily visit the Capitol offices of their senators and representatives. Now, to gain access to the House and Senate office buildings, citizens must be on preapproved lists kept by the House and Senate Sergeant at Arms.” He continued, “America has historically prided ourselves on transparency and easy citizens access to government institutions. It is shameful that Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer persist in keeping the law-abiding American citizens out of their own Capitol, especially when states are lifting restrictions and the CDC is recommending fully-vaccinated Americans return to pre-COVID normalcy. Nancy Pelosi said ‘about 75%’ of House members are vaccinated. That exceeds herd immunity requirements.” Aderholt commented, “With the pandemic coming to an end, it is time to open the United States Capitol Complex to the citizens it belongs to. While those of us elected to Congress, and members of our staff all work in the Capitol, we should never come to believe that it is there strictly for our exclusive use. We are there because the people of this country elected us and they should be able to visit their elected leaders and take tours of their Capitol.” Other co-signers of the letter are: Congressman Ralph Norman, Congressman Andy Harris, Congressman Madison Cawthorn, Congressman W. Gregory Steube, Congressman Matt Rosendale, Congressman Brian Mast, Congressman Tracey Mann, Congressman Tom McClintock, Congressman Jody Hice, Congressman Andy Biggs, Congressman Chip Roy, Congressman Tom Tiffany, Congressman Debbie Lesko, Congressman Jeff Duncan, Congressman Warren Davis, Congressman Mike Gallagher, Congressman Bill Posey, Congressman Bob Good, Congressman Randy Weber, Congressman Dan Bishop, Congressman Paul Gosar, Congressman Ronny L. Jackson, Congressman Joe Wilson, Congressman Louie Gohmert, Congressman Brian Babin, Congressman Neal Dunn, Congressman Marjorie T. Greene, Congressman Michael Cloud. The letter can be viewed here.
