,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dbii ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #ae 7legislative day1 ,april #ad71 #bjbf,ms4 ,warren 7for herself and ,mr4 ,schumer7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 to prohibit ,presidents and ,vice ,presidents from receiving damages payments from the ,united ,states1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,ban ,presidential ,plunder of ,taxpayer ,funds ,act4 #b4 ,settlement payments 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #afa of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #bdag4 ,rules for payments to current and former ,presidents and ,vice ,presidents 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section1 the term covered individual means-- 7#a7 the ,president2 7#b7 the ,vice ,president2 7#c7 a former ,president if the former ,vice ,president of the former ,president is ,president2 7#d7 the spouse or dependent child of an individual described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#c72 and 7#e7 a trust 7or a trustee acting on behalf of a trust7 or any other legal vehicle or entity established1 or serving1 for the benefit of1 or owned or controlled by1 an individual described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d74 7b7 ,ban on covered individuals obtaining settlement payments from the ,united ,states ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 no covered individual may-- 7#a7 recover or agree to recover damages1 reimbursement1 payment of attorney's fees1 or any other payment1 whether monetary or in kind1 from the ,united ,states related to any administrative claim1 civil action1 or other claim against the ,united ,states through a settlement agreement1 consent decree1 administrative resolution of the claim1 or similar arrangement2 or 7#b7 direct any payment described in paragraph 7#a7 to be made to a third party4 7c7 ,ban on filing administrative claims seeking damages ,no covered individual may file an administrative claim against the ,united ,states seeking to recover damages1 reimbursement1 payment of attorney's fees1 or any other payment1 whether monetary or in kind1 from the ,united ,states4 7d7 ,administrative processing and making of payments ,no department or agency of the ,united ,states may administratively process or fulfill a claim for damages1 reimbursement1 payment of attorney's fees1 or any other payment1 whether monetary or in kind1 filed by or on behalf of a covered individual1 through a settlement agreement1 consent decree1 administrative resolution of the claim1 or similar arrangement4 7e7 ,guardrails for lawsuits seeking damages ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 a court-- 7#a7 may not award any damages other than actual or compensatory damages to a covered individual in a civil action against the ,united ,states under any other provision of law2 and 7#b7 may award actual or compensatory damages to a covered individual in a civil action against the ,united ,states under any other provision of law only if-- 7,a7 the covered individual agrees to the court appointment of an independent counsel1 removable only by the court for cause1 to represent the agency defending against the claim of the covered individual2 7,b7 the court appoints an independent counsel under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7,c7 subject to the continued supervision of the court1 any agency involved in the litigation cooperates with the independent counsel appointed under subparagraph 7,a71 including by facilitating access to documents and employees necessary to complete the work of the independent counsel4 7f7 ,transparency requirement ,in any action brought under subsection 7e71 the court shall make public and free of charge1 via an online1 publicly accessible1 and user-friendly method all filings and proceedings in an action described in subsection 7e71 including through making the audio of each session conducted by the court during the proceedings available online contemporaneously with the session4 7g7 ,guardrails for former covered individuals ,after a ,president or ,vice ,president leaves office1 that former ,president or ,vice ,president or other former covered individual described in paragraphs 7#c7 through 7#e7 of subsection 7a7 may file an administrative claim or suit against the ,united ,states and the ,united ,states may adjudicate or settle such claim or suit1 if-- 7#a7 the agency or department against which the claim or suit is filed appoints an expert1 career employee who can only be removed for good cause to lead any review and adjudication of the claim during any administrative or settlement process2 7#b7 no executive branch employee or official appointed by a covered individual participates in any capacity in reviewing1 litigating against1 or adjudicating the claim or settlement2 7#c7 for any agreement to make a payment from the ,united ,states to a former covered individual1 the terms of the agreement are published in the ,federal ,register not later than #g days after the date on which the agreement is entered2 7#d7 for any payment from the ,united ,states to a former covered individual1 the amount1 date1 and form of payment is published in the ,federal ,register not later than #g days after the date on which the payment is made2 and 7#e7 the agency or department against which the claim or suit is filed submits to the appropriate congressional committees of the ,senate and the ,house of ,representatives a copy of-- 7,a7 the claim or suit prior to assessing the claim or suit2 and 7,b7 any resulting approval or denial of the claim or settlement concurrently with notification to the claimant4 7h7 ,penalties 7#a7 ,in general ,a covered individual who willfully violates subsection 7b7 or knowingly violates subsection 7c7 shall be subject to disgorgement of the payment1 civil penalties of not more than the greater of #a1jjj1jjj or an amount that is equal to the aggregate amount of any payment or payments1 imprisonment for not more than #e years1 or any combination thereof4 7#b7 ,officers and employees ,any individual who willfully causes a department of agency to violate subsection 7d7 shall be subject to civil penalties of not more than #ej1jjj1 imprisonment for not more than #f months1 or both4 7i7 ,limitations 7#a7 ,statute of limitations for enforcement of this act ,no person shall be prosecuted1 tried1 or punished1 or made subject to civil monetary penalties1 for a violation of this section1 unless the indictment is found or the information is instituted within #aj years after such offense shall have been committed4 7#b7 ,tolling of statute of limitations for underlying claims ,the limitations period for any claim a covered individual seeks to bring against the ,united ,states shall be tolled during the period beginning on the date on which the individual becomes a covered individual and ending on the day after the date on which the term in office of the covered individual expires4 7j7 ,applicability ,this section shall apply to any request for1 processing of a request for1 or recovery of damages1 reimbursement1 payment of attorney's fees1 or other payment1 whether monetary or in kind1 occurring after the date of enactment of this section1 regardless of when the related claim or cause of action arose4 4 7b7 ,technical and conforming amendment ,the table of sections for chapter #afa of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #bdag4 ,rules for payments to current and former ,presidents and ,vice ,presidents4 4