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119-hr-10558119th CongressWALLET

CLEAR Act

Sponsored By: Representative Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]

Introduced

Summary

Public disclosure of Judgment Fund payments would be the core change. It would require the Treasury to publish detailed, searchable records of each payment.

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  • Taxpayers and watchdogs would get per-payment entries on a public site showing the agency responsible, the claimant, counsel, a brief description of the facts, and amounts split into principal and ancillary fees. Disclosures must be posted within 30 days of payment and the system would start no later than 60 days after enactment of the John D. Dingell Jr. Act.
  • Agencies, plaintiffs, and lawyers would be searchable by name and firm, and the site would tabulate monthly totals that flag how many payments were settlements and break totals into payments, attorney fees, court costs, and interest.
  • The Comptroller General would report annually to Congress on use of “sue-and-settle” tactics, identifying frequently involved agencies, average settlement amounts, trends, and other patterns. The bill would also bar disclosure of the identity of anyone who provides information under this section.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Public posting of Judgment Fund payments

This bill would require the Treasury Department to publish details of payments from the Judgment Fund on a public website. The website would start within 60 days after enactment of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. For each payment, Treasury would post details no later than 30 days after the payment is tendered. Each payment entry would show the agency whose actions led to the claim, the plaintiff or claimant, and the claimant's counsel. Entries would show amounts for principal liability and amounts for attorney fees, court costs, and interest, plus a brief description of the facts. The site would list monthly totals, say how many payments were settlements, and be searchable by agency, claimant, and counsel including counsel's firm. Disclosures could be withheld if prohibited by law or a court order. The bill would also bar revealing the identity of any individual who discloses information under this section.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]

WY • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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