“I am introducing a bill to fight government corruption. It lets regular citizens sue officials who use their public office to enrich themselves. It also creates an independent agency to investigate and punish corrupt leaders.”
“Mr. President, now, today, on anti-corruption and the Anti-Corruption Bureau Creation Act--today, I am introducing the Anti- Corruption Bureau Creation Act, the biggest, boldest, and broadest proposal ever put forward to revitalize our anti-corruption institutions. The scope and scale of Donald Trump’s corruption dwarf anything we have ever seen in American history, which is why Congress has to respond more strongly than ever before. In just 18 months, the Trump family has cashed in on the influence of the Presidency to the tune of more than $4 billion--billion. The same corrupt practices that Trump is using to rake in billions are also causing Americans to pay an extra $3,100 in higher costs each year. Trump profits; Americans pay. Our ``Grifter in Chief’’ has tried every scam in the book and invented new ones we never imagined. The bill I am introducing today with my colleagues Senators Padilla, Merkley, and Kim is designed to stop Trump’s ``Art of the Steal.’’ The first goal of our bill is to get the American people their money back. The bill will create, for the first time, a private right of action that allows Americans, including State attorneys general representing the public, to sue to recover the money Trump and his family have taken from them. Now, the False Claims Act already allows citizens to file lawsuits against people who defraud the government and share part of the civil penalty if they win. So it only makes sense that we are expanding that ability so citizens can sue people who use government influence to defraud the public. If Donald Trump or one of his lackeys, sons, cronies uses government influence to steal from you, you deserve your day in court. The second goal of our bill is to stop this corruption from happening again. Instead of draining the swamp, Trump blew our anti-corruption institutions to smithereens. He installed MAGA loyalists at the Office of Government Ethics and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, watchdogs whose whole mission is to stop the same type of corruption Trump is now committing. Trump also neutered the Federal Elections Commission, which Congress created to stop the corruption Watergate exposed. My bill would establish a new, independent Anti-Corruption Bureau that brings all the guardrails Trump has weakened under one roof. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is a sum greater than its parts. The Bureau would have subpoena power to give it real investigative strength, meaningful enforcement authority, and the ability to disgorge ill- gotten gains. We want to create a one-stop shop to catch the corruption and make them pay up, an Agency with real teeth and real independence. It will be led by seven Senate-confirmed Commissioners--three Republicans, three Democrats, and one Independent. Trump won’t be able to commandeer the Bureau because our bill explicitly outlaws trying to weaponize it, with fines and jail time for people who try. Congress can’t defund the Bureau because our bill establishes a self- sustaining funding source for the Agency, much like the Fed. And the President can’t dismantle the Bureau by purging its members, since our bill requires a panel of judges to appoint temporary replacements so the Bureau always has a quorum. The bill is just common sense--a basic, straightforward way to make sure all facets of government serve the people and no one else. Americans are demanding we go back to a government they can actually trust. This legislation tells them that we hear them and that we are going to fight for them with the strongest measures we have ever proposed. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Table of contents. Sec. 3. Findings and purpose. Sec. 4. Definitions. Sec. 101. Findings and purpose. Sec. 102. Definitions. Sec. 103. Civil liability for corruption-related violations. Sec. 104. Private right of action. Sec. 105. Award to plaintiffs. Sec. 106. Severability. Sec. 201. Establishment of Bureau. Sec. 202. Membership. Sec. 203. Terms of service. Sec. 204. Chair; Vice Chair. Sec. 205. Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel. Sec. 206. Removal; notice to Congress. Sec. 301. Powers and duties of the Bureau. Sec. 302. Transfer of functions. Sec. 303. Personnel. TITLE IV--APPOINTMENT OF TEMPORARY MEMBERS TO THE ANTI-CORRUPTION Sec. 401. Assignment of judges to division to appoint temporary members Sec. 501. Freedom From Influence Fund. Sec. 502. Authorization of appropriations. Sec. 503. References. Sec. 504. Regulations. Sec. 505. Technical and conforming amendments. TITLE IV--APPOINTMENT OF TEMPORARY MEMBERS TO THE ANTI-CORRUPTION ``50. Assignment of judges to division to appoint temporary members to”
Mr. President, now, today, on anti-corruption and the Anti-Corruption Bureau Creation Act--today, I am introducing the Anti- Corruption Bureau Creation Act, the biggest, boldest, and broadest proposal ever put forward to revitalize our anti-corruption institutions. The scope and scale of Donald Trump’s corruption dwarf anything we have ever seen in American history, which is why Congress has to respond more strongly than ever before. In just 18 months, the Trump family has cashed in on the influence of the Presidency to the tune of more than $4 billion--billion. The same corrupt practices that Trump is using to rake in billions are also causing Americans to pay an extra $3,100 in higher costs each year. Trump profits; Americans pay. Our ``Grifter in Chief’’ has tried every scam in the book and invented new ones we never imagined. The bill I am introducing today with my colleagues Senators Padilla, Merkley, and Kim is designed to stop Trump’s ``Art of the Steal.’’ The first goal of our bill is to get the American people their money back. The bill will create, for the first time, a private right of action that allows Americans, including State attorneys general representing the public, to sue to recover the money Trump and his family have taken from them. Now, the False Claims Act already allows citizens to file lawsuits against people who defraud the government and share part of the civil penalty if they win. So it only makes sense that we are expanding that ability so citizens can sue people who use government influence to defraud the public. If Donald Trump or one of his lackeys, sons, cronies uses government influence to steal from you, you deserve your day in court. The second goal of our bill is to stop this corruption from happening again. Instead of draining the swamp, Trump blew our anti-corruption institutions to smithereens. He installed MAGA loyalists at the Office of Government Ethics and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, watchdogs whose whole mission is to stop the same type of corruption Trump is now committing. Trump also neutered the Federal Elections Commission, which Congress created to stop the corruption Watergate exposed. My bill would establish a new, independent Anti-Corruption Bureau that brings all the guardrails Trump has weakened under one roof. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is a sum greater than its parts. The Bureau would have subpoena power to give it real investigative strength, meaningful enforcement authority, and the ability to disgorge ill- gotten gains. We want to create a one-stop shop to catch the corruption and make them pay up, an Agency with real teeth and real independence. It will be led by seven Senate-confirmed Commissioners--three Republicans, three Democrats, and one Independent. Trump won’t be able to commandeer the Bureau because our bill explicitly outlaws trying to weaponize it, with fines and jail time for people who try. Congress can’t defund the Bureau because our bill establishes a self- sustaining funding source for the Agency, much like the Fed. And the President can’t dismantle the Bureau by purging its members, since our bill requires a panel of judges to appoint temporary replacements so the Bureau always has a quorum. The bill is just common sense--a basic, straightforward way to make sure all facets of government serve the people and no one else. Americans are demanding we go back to a government they can actually trust. This legislation tells them that we hear them and that we are going to fight for them with the strongest measures we have ever proposed. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Table of contents. Sec. 3. Findings and purpose. Sec. 4. Definitions. Sec. 101. Findings and purpose. Sec. 102. Definitions. Sec. 103. Civil liability for corruption-related violations. Sec. 104. Private right of action. Sec. 105. Award to plaintiffs. Sec. 106. Severability. Sec. 201. Establishment of Bureau. Sec. 202. Membership. Sec. 203. Terms of service. Sec. 204. Chair; Vice Chair. Sec. 205. Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel. Sec. 206. Removal; notice to Congress. Sec. 301. Powers and duties of the Bureau. Sec. 302. Transfer of functions. Sec. 303. Personnel. TITLE IV--APPOINTMENT OF TEMPORARY MEMBERS TO THE ANTI-CORRUPTION Sec. 401. Assignment of judges to division to appoint temporary members Sec. 501. Freedom From Influence Fund. Sec. 502. Authorization of appropriations. Sec. 503. References. Sec. 504. Regulations. Sec. 505. Technical and conforming amendments. TITLE IV--APPOINTMENT OF TEMPORARY MEMBERS TO THE ANTI-CORRUPTION ``50. Assignment of judges to division to appoint temporary members to