Drain the Slush Fund Act

Bill Number: S. 4644
Origin Chamber: Senate
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: Government Operations and Politics
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-06-01: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Updated: 2026-07-02T21:59:23Z

AI-Generated Summary

This legislation aims to restrict the use of federal funds for paying certain legal outcomes involving lawsuits or claims filed by the President or Vice President.
It seeks to limit access to a specific government payment mechanism for these high-level officials.

The bill amends section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, which governs payments for judgments, awards, and compromise settlements.
It adds a new subsection prohibiting any authorization of payments—including interest or costs—from this mechanism for lawsuits or claims filed by the President or Vice President.
The changes apply to any ongoing legal cases or new claims starting on or after January 20, 2025.

Prior to this bill, section 1304 allowed payments from the fund for a broad range of court-related resolutions against the federal government without specific exclusions for executive branch leaders.
The amendment introduces a targeted restriction that prevents the fund from covering legal matters initiated by the President or Vice President.

On government agencies: The Department of the Treasury and related entities managing the payment fund would be required to deny requests tied to presidential or vice presidential claims, potentially altering how such cases are handled or funded.
On citizens: Taxpayers may see reduced use of public funds for these specific legal matters, though the overall effect on federal spending would depend on the volume of affected cases.
On international relations: No direct effects are outlined in the bill, as it focuses solely on domestic legal payment processes.

The President and Vice President, whose lawsuits or claims would no longer qualify for payments under the amended rules.
Federal agencies involved in processing or defending against such claims.
The judicial system, which may see shifts in how cases involving these officials are resolved or funded.

The provision creates a specific carve-out in existing payment laws, which could raise questions about equal treatment under the law for government officials.
It applies retroactively to cases from January 20, 2025, potentially affecting ongoing litigation without altering the underlying legal merits of those cases.
No constitutional analysis is provided in the bill text itself.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.