Everyday heroes in action – Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Riding Along with Local First Responders

Riding along with the Waynesboro First Aid Crew on Friday evening as they answered calls was a remarkable experience. I respect the dedication of these men and women – like all first responders – to serving those in their community, and thank them for providing this important, life-saving service.

Lights Out for DOJ’s Settlement Slush Funds

It’s no secret. During the last Administration, with the help of President Obama’s trusty pen and phone, the power of the executive branch frequently stretched beyond the separation of powers defined by the United States Constitution.

One abuse of this power stems from the settlement slush funds doled out by the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the last Administration. Over the last few years, the House Judiciary Committee, which I chair, has conducted an extensive investigation into the Obama Administration’s mortgage lending settlements. In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, certain financial institutions were required to pay settlements or fines as a form of restitution for their misdeeds. As a result of this investigation, we found that DOJ is undermining the spending power of Congress by requiring these institutions to make mandatory donations to left-leaning activist groups, like La Raza and NeighborWorks, as part of the settlement.

This practice is wrong no matter which party is in power. Just a few days ago, Attorney General Jeff Sessions took a big step in restoring accountability to the DOJ by announcing his decision to halt the use of these settlement slush funds to pay non-victim third parties. Whether the beneficiaries of these donations are worthy entities or not is entirely beside the point. It is not the decision of federal bureaucrats to make. The Constitution is clear: Congress has the power to decide how money is spent. When DOJ recovers money from parties who have broken the law, those funds should rightly be awarded to victims or sent back to Treasury, not funneled to special interests.

While this practice has seen its demise for now, it is important that Congress act to guarantee that no future Administration can continue this abuse. Earlier this year, I introduced the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act to bar DOJ, and all other government agencies, from requiring defendants to donate money to outside groups as part of their settlement agreements with the government. The legislation passed the Judiciary Committee in February and is the same legislation that passed the House last year. I hope it will come before the House soon to permanently end this practice.

I am proud to be leading the fight in the House to ensure recovered funds are used to benefit direct victims and not special interests – these are the positive reforms we need to keep strong separation of powers working. Click here to read more in my weekly column.

Financial CHOICE Act Passes House

Virginia businesses need access to capital to grow and create jobs. For many folks, this means working with a small community bank or credit union. However, much of the red tape created by Dodd-Frank, the massive finance law put into place by the Obama Administration, is holding these financial institutions back. In fact, it is estimated that under Dodd-Frank the United States is losing, on average, one community bank or credit union each day. Instead of helping folks access the capital they need, Dodd-Frank has made it more difficult by piling on the red tape all while failing to hold Wall Street accountable and protect consumers. I’ve heard from small financial institutions in the Sixth District that Dodd-Frank’s policies only increase the cost of credit and that no one is helped by these rules – only hurt.

The Financial CHOICE Act, passed by the House last week, levels the playing field by eliminating the onerous regulations that are holding back job creators and stifling access to credit and capital. Unlike Dodd-Frank, the CHOICE Act finally ends taxpayer-funded bailouts and “too big to fail.” It also repeals the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule that makes it harder for Americans to save for retirement. The CHOICE Act is just one more way that the House is working to grow America’s economy and create opportunity for hardworking Americans.

Honoring the U.S. Army’s History

Last week, I attend the U.S. Army’s Twilight Tattoo at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The program honors the history of the Army and those who have served in America’s Armed Forces since the founding of our country. The program features soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”

Stopping by the Royal Examiner

Thank you to Mike and his team at the Royal Examiner in Front Royal for welcoming me to the office last week. They are a new online news site covering the Warren County area.

Should you have further questions, please visit the “Contact Bob” section of my website or call (202) 225-5431.