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A bipartisan pair of House lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday aimed at preventing federal money from being used to pay claims through the Justice Department’s controversial new “anti-weaponization” fund tied to President Donald Trump.
The legislation, titled the Bipartisan Transparency for American Taxpayers Act, was introduced by Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican, and Tom Suozzi, a Democrat.
The bill comes amid mounting backlash over the Justice Department’s nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, which was created as part of a settlement agreement resolving lawsuits Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax returns and other investigations.
The two-page proposal states that “no federal funds … may be used for the payment of any claim submitted to the Anti-Weaponization Fund, established by the Department of Justice on May 18, 2026.”
The fund is intended to compensate people who claim they were unfairly targeted or investigated by the federal government. Several Trump allies and supporters — including some connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack — have publicly discussed filing claims seeking payouts.
“Congress has a constitutional responsibility to protect taxpayer dollars and oversee federal spending,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement. “Taxpayer dollars will not become a discretionary payout fund. Transparency is not optional. Accountability is not negotiable.”
Suozzi described the compensation program as a “slush fund” that could establish “a dangerous precedent.”
The bipartisan legislation adds to growing scrutiny surrounding the fund, which has drawn criticism not only from Democrats but also from several Republicans on Capitol Hill.
In a letter sent Wednesday to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Fitzpatrick raised “urgent concern” about the fund’s creation “with no oversight or approval from Congress.”
The congressman requested answers from Blanche by June 1 regarding the source of the money, who would qualify for payments and the legal authority used to establish the program.
The controversy surrounding the compensation fund also contributed to Republican leaders delaying a planned Senate vote Thursday on a major immigration enforcement funding package. GOP lawmakers emerged from a closed-door briefing with Justice Department officials expressing frustration and lingering concerns over the fund’s structure and oversight.
Republicans had hoped to quickly pass the reconciliation package, which would provide funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through the end of Trump’s term. But internal GOP disagreements over the “anti-weaponization” program and a separate White House ballroom security proposal stalled those plans ahead of the Memorial Day recess.
The Justice Department has defended the fund as a lawful mechanism intended to compensate Americans harmed by politically motivated investigations or government actions. Officials have also said Trump, his family members and the Trump Organization are not eligible to receive payments from the compensation program.
