On the recordOctober 24, 2017
The amendment would exempt settlements providing restitution to a State, the idea presumably being that the State could then distribute money as it sees fit for generalized harm to its citizens, but nothing in this bill prevents Congress from making block grants to States to address generalized harm. Indeed, Congress regularly appropriates money to States to deal with challenges, including environmental cleanups. Examples of this include the EPA Superfund and the Brownfields grants. This bill merely insists that decisions on when such grants are appropriate and in what amounts, that those decisions be made by accountable representatives in Congress and not agency bureaucrats and prosecutors. Compensating direct victims is a job for the Justice Department. Broader projects are a policy question that should be decided by Congress. Mr. Chair, accordingly, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
