Judgment Fund Transparency Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-1096
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2]
Introduced: 2017-02-15
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Foreign and international banking

Government information and archives

Government liability

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2017-10-16
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 252.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-02-15
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Judgment Fund Transparency Act of 2017</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to disclose details after payments are made from the Judgment Fund. (The Judgment Fund is a permanent and indefinite appropriation to pay judgments against the United States.) </p> <p>Unless the disclosure is prohibited by law or a court order, Treasury must disclose to the public on a website: </p> <ul> <li>the agency or entity whose actions gave rise to the claim or judgment, </li> <li>the plaintiff or claimant, </li> <li>the counsel for the plaintiff or claimant, </li> <li>the amount paid, </li> <li>a description of the facts that gave rise to the claim, </li> <li>the agency that submitted the claim, and</li> <li> any information available on reports generated by the Judgment Fund Payment Search administered by Treasury. </li> </ul> <p>If the payment is made to a foreign state, Treasury must also disclose:</p> <ul> <li>the method of payment;</li> <li>the currency denomination used for the payment; and </li> <li>the name and location of each financial institution owned or controlled by a foreign state or an agent of a foreign state through which the payment passed, from which the payment was withdrawn, or that is holding the payment. </li> </ul> <p>No payments from the fund may be made to a state sponsor of terrorism. </p>

action_date: 2017-10-16
action_desc: Reported to House with amendment(s)
text: <p><b>Judgment Fund Transparency Act of 2017</b></p> <p>(Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to disclose details regarding payments made from the Judgment Fund on or after January 1, 2016. (The Judgment Fund is a permanent and indefinite appropriation to pay judgments against the United States.)</p> <p>Unless the disclosure is prohibited by law or a court order, Treasury must disclose to the public on a website: </p> <ul> <li>the agency or entity whose actions gave rise to the claim or judgment, </li> <li>the plaintiff or claimant, </li> <li>the counsel for the plaintiff or claimant, </li> <li>the amount paid representing principal liability and any amounts paid representing any ancillary liability, </li> <li>a description of the facts that gave rise to the claim, </li> <li>the agency that submitted the claim, and</li> <li> any information available on reports generated by the Judgment Fund Payment Search administered by Treasury. </li> </ul> <p>If the payment is made to a foreign state, Treasury must also disclose:</p> <ul> <li>the method of payment;</li> <li>the currency denomination used for the payment; and </li> <li>the name and location of each financial institution owned or controlled by a foreign state or an agent of a foreign state through which the payment passed, from which the payment was withdrawn, or that is holding the payment. </li> </ul> <p>By January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, Treasury must disclose on the website: (1) the total amounts paid from the fund during the preceding year; and (2) the amounts paid during the preceding year for attorney fees, interest, and for all other payments. </p> <p>No payments from the fund may be made to a state sponsor of terrorism or an organization that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act. </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1096 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 15, 2017 Mr. Stewart (for himself, Mr. Long , Mr. Roskam , Mr. Tipton , Mr. Chaffetz , Mr. Pearce , Mr. McClintock , Mr. Bishop of Utah , and Mr. Burgess ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for transparency of payments made from the Judgment Fund.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Judgment Fund Transparency Act of 2017 . 2. Judgment fund transparency (a) Transparency requirement Section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (d) (1) Unless the disclosure of such information is otherwise prohibited by law or court order, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available to the public on a website, as soon as practicable, but not later than 30 days after the date on which a payment under this section is tendered on or after January 1, 2016, the following information with regard to that payment: (A) The name of the specific agency or entity whose actions gave rise to the claim or judgment. (B) The name of the plaintiff or claimant. (C) The name of counsel for the plaintiff or claimant. (D) The amount paid representing principal liability, and any amounts paid representing any ancillary liability, including attorney fees, costs, and interest. (E) A brief description of the facts that gave rise to the claim. (F) The name of the agency that submitted the claim. (G) Any information available on reports generated by the Judgment Fund Payment Search administered by the Treasury Department. (2) In addition to the information described in paragraph (1), if a payment under this section is made to a foreign state on or after January 1, 2016, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available to the public in accordance with paragraph (1), the following information with regard to that payment: (A) A description of the method of payment. (B) A description of the currency denominations used for the payment. (C) The name and location of each financial institution owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a foreign state or an agent of a foreign state through which the payment passed or from which the payment was withdrawn, including any financial institution owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a foreign state or an agent of a foreign state that is holding the payment as of the date on which the information is made available. (3) In this subsection, the term foreign state has the meaning given the term in section 1603 of title 28. (e) Except with regard to children under eighteen, the disclosure of information required in this section shall not be considered a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy for purposes of title 5, United States Code. (f) No payment may be made under this section to a state sponsor of terrorism, as defined in section 1605A(h) of title 28. . (b) Implementation The Secretary of the Treasury shall carry out the amendment made by this section by not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 252 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1096 [Report No. 115–348] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 15, 2017 Mr. Stewart (for himself, Mr. Long , Mr. Roskam , Mr. Tipton , Mr. Chaffetz , Mr. Pearce , Mr. McClintock , Mr. Bishop of Utah , and Mr. Burgess ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary October 16, 2017 Additional sponsors: Mr. Johnson of Louisiana , Mr. Gosar , and Mr. Amodei October 16, 2017 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 15, 2017 A BILL To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for transparency of payments made from the Judgment Fund.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Judgment Fund Transparency Act of 2017 . 2. Judgment fund transparency (a) Transparency requirement Section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (d) (1) Unless the disclosure of such information is otherwise prohibited by law or court order, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available to the public on a website, as soon as practicable, but not later than 30 days after the date on which a payment under this section is tendered on or after January 1, 2016, the following information with regard to that payment: (A) The name of the specific agency or entity whose actions gave rise to the claim or judgment. (B) The name of the plaintiff or claimant. (C) The name of counsel for the plaintiff or claimant. (D) The amount paid representing principal liability, and any amounts paid representing any ancillary liability, including attorney fees, costs, and interest. (E) A brief description of the facts that gave rise to the claim. (F) The name of the agency that submitted the claim. (G) Any information available on reports generated by the Judgment Fund Payment Search administered by the Treasury Department. (2) In addition to the information described in paragraph (1), if a payment under this section is made to a foreign state on or after January 1, 2016, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available to the public in accordance with paragraph (1), the following information with regard to that payment: (A) A description of the method of payment. (B) A description of the currency denominations used for the payment. (C) The name and location of each financial institution owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a foreign state or an agent of a foreign state through which the payment passed or from which the payment was withdrawn, including any financial institution owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a foreign state or an agent of a foreign state that is holding the payment as of the date on which the information is made available. (3) Not later than January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make available to the public on the website described in paragraph (1)— (A) the total amount paid under this section during the year preceding the date of the report; and (B) the amount paid under this section during the year preceding the date of the report— (i) for attorney fees; (ii) for interest; and (iii) for all other payments. (4) In this subsection, the term foreign state has the meaning given the term in section 1603 of title 28. (e) Except with regard to children under eighteen, the disclosure of information required in this section shall not be considered a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy for purposes of title 5, United States Code. (f) No payment may be made under this section to a state sponsor of terrorism, as defined in section 1605A(h) of title 28, or to an organization that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1189 ). . (b) Implementation The Secretary of the Treasury shall carry out the amendment made by this section by not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

October 16, 2017 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed