Bill shields sitting president and VP from paying legal judgments.
S. 4644 — Drain the Slush Fund Act · Filed by Adam Schiff (D-CA) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Jun 1, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill bars the federal government from paying judgments, awards, or settlements in any lawsuit or claim filed by the President or Vice President. It applies retroactively to cases pending as of January 20, 2025, and any new claims filed after that date. The effect is to block federal funds from being used to satisfy legal judgments against the President or Vice President in their personal capacity.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a narrow immunity grant: it carves out the President and Vice President from the normal federal settlement-payment process, creating a class of plaintiffs whose judgments cannot be satisfied from the federal treasury. This is a direct shield against accountability.
What the text implies
- Retroactive application to January 20, 2025 (the date of the current presidential inauguration) suggests the bill is designed to protect the sitting President and Vice President from pending litigation, not a neutral prospective rule.
- 31 U.S.C. § 1304 is the permanent indefinite appropriation that funds federal settlements in tort and contract cases. Carving out the President/VP from this mechanism creates a two-tier system: ordinary federal officials and agencies remain subject to judgment-payment obligations, but the President and VP do not.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Citizens lose a critical accountability mechanism: the ability to recover damages from the federal government when the President or Vice President violates their rights or causes them harm through official action. This creates a de facto immunity for the sitting President and Vice President from monetary liability, undermining the rule of law and equal protection under law.