Lance Gooden: “This is really bad business for the American people. These settlement slush funds are wrong no matter who is in power…”

“This is really bad business for the American people. These settlement slush funds are wrong no matter who is in power and, frankly, victims are being overlooked. Victims should be made whole, and any other kind of settlement the government wants to work out with wrongdoers should be a fine to the United States Treasury because whatever good cause we may agree or disagree about for restitution for larger groups of victims, perhaps, that is something this Congress should decide through the appropriations process. I encourage my colleagues to join me in stopping this practice. We have seen abuses all the way from the Bush administration to the present, and it needs to stop. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 788, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate on the bill has expired. Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. McCormick The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1 printed in House Report 118-342. Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 3, line 13, after ``submit'' insert ``, and make available on a publicly accessible website,''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 947, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. McCormick) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia. Mr. McCORMICK. Mr.…”