Congress moves to block taxpayer-funded settlements with Trump, cabinet officials, January 6 defenda
H.R. 9136 — No Taxpayer Bailouts for Insurrectionists Act of 2026 · Filed by Dina Titus (D-NV) · Introduced Jun 3, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill blocks the federal government from paying out $50,000 or more in settlement agreements to the President, Vice President, cabinet officials, their family members, political appointees, or anyone convicted in connection with January 6, 2021—unless the Attorney General reports to Congress 90 days in advance with full details and a DOJ Inspector General certification. It also specifically bars any payment in the Trump v. IRS case and orders a GAO audit of that settlement's legality.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to restrict executive-branch settlement authority and require congressional transparency for large payouts to high officials and January 6 defendants. It is fundamentally a check on executive power and self-dealing, not a substantive policy change.
What the text implies
- The bill's reference to 'Trump v. Internal Revenue Service, No. 1:26-cv-20609 (S.D. Fla.)' appears to target a specific pending or recent settlement; if that case settles before this bill passes, the retroactive bar may create legal ambiguity about whether already-obligated funds can be withheld.
- The definition of 'covered person' includes family members of sitting officials, which may create constitutional questions about whether Congress can restrict settlements with private citizens based solely on family relationship to a federal officer.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill restricts the executive branch's ability to use taxpayer funds to settle claims brought by or on behalf of sitting and former high officials and January 6 defendants, requiring transparency and IG review before large payouts. This strengthens congressional oversight and public accountability over executive self-dealing.