WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Rules, released the following statement after supporting a measure to prohibit the Department of Justice from allocating settlements to non-victim, third-parties:
"As a result of an in depth investigation led by the House Judiciary Committee, we learned that the Department of Justice repeatedly subverted Congressional spending authority by using settlements from financial institutions to pay partisan third party groups. Money from these settlements should go to the real victims, not partisan organizations. This is a blatant abuse of power as well as an attack on Congress' authority outlined in Article I of our Constitution. Federal agencies cannot haphazardly decide how to allocate funds; Congress has the power of the purse - plain and simple.
"It is unfortunate that for the past eight years we had an Administration who was more interested in lining the pockets of their liberal friends than following the Constitution, but now is the time to restore the balance of power by ensuring no future Administration can use this tactic to abuse the system. Today's measure is a victory for our Constitution and a victory for Americans like me who are sick and tired of the fraud and abuse that runs rampant in our government."
To learn more about H.R. 732, Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2017, click here.
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