The Honorable Paul Ryan
Speaker, U.S House of Representatives
1233 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
Majority Leader, U.S House of Representatives
2421 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker Ryan and Majority Leader McCarthy,
The recent revelation of a Congressional “hush fund” that paid settlements to victims of sexual harassment by Members of Congress and their staffs is shocking, offensive and entirely unacceptable. At least nine public polls taken in November and December confirm that the American public is revulsed, not only by the acts of harassment themselves, but also by the practice of buying the victims’ silence by settlements paid for with taxpayers’ money and hidden from the public through non-disclosure agreements. Clearly, this practice must stop.
One effort to ensure that Congress addresses this issue effectively is H.R. 4494, the Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act, introduced by Rep. Ron DeSantis. It has already garnered nearly 100 cosponsors (74 Republicans and 25 Democrats). We urge you to take an active role in ensuring that it is given prompt attention and passage.
We understand that there may be other legislative proposals addressing the same concerns that will soon be introduced. Our purpose here is not to suggest that any one bill is the perfect solution, but rather to urge that deliberation by the Committee on House Administration be initiated promptly. Your encouragement as the top leaders in the House would ensure that this issue is given the kind of serious attention.
Thank you for your consideration.
| The Honorable Edwin Meese III Former Attorney General President Ronald Reagan |
The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop Chairman, Conservative Action Project Former White House Advisor, President Ronald Reagan |
| The Honorable Colin A. Hanna President Let Freedom Ring, Inc. |
The Honorable David McIntosh President Club for Growth |
| Alfred S. Regnery Chairman Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund |
David Bozell President ForAmerica |
| Diana Banister President and Partner Shirley & Banister Public Affairs |
Adam Brandon President FreedomWorks |
| Lisa B. Nelson Chief Executive Officer American Legislative Exchange Council |
Ed Corrigan Former Executive Director Senate Steering Committee |
| Rachel Bovard Former Policy Director Senate Steering Committee |
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Former Chief Domestic Advisor President Ronald Reagan |
| Jenny Beth Martin Chairman Tea Party Patriots Citizen Fund |
Thomas E. McClusky President March for Life Action |
| The Honorable Tony Perkins President, Family Research Council President, Council for National Policy |
William L. Walton Chairman CNP Action, Inc. |
| Cleta Mitchell, Esq. | The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
| Marjorie Dannenfelser President Susan B. Anthony List |
Rebecca Hagelin Secretary, Council for National Policy Board of Directors, FamilyTalk |
| Penny Young Nance CEO & President Concerned Women for America |
Larry Beasley President and CEO The Washington Times |
| David N. Bossie President Citizens United |
The Honorable Mike Spence Founding President Conservative Republicans of California |
| Floyd Brown Chairman Western Center for Journalism |
Roxanne Phillips Member, Executive Committee Council for National Policy |
| Anne Schlafly Cori Chairman Eagle Forum |
The Honorable James C. Miller III Director, Office of Management & Budget President Ronald Reagan (1985-1988) |
| The Honorable Kenneth Cuccinelli President Senate Conservatives Fund |
The Honorable Gary Bauer President American Values |
| The Honorable Charles J. Cooper Former Assistant Attorney General, Ronald Reagan Administration Cooper & Kirk, PLLC |
Randall S. Page Chief of Staff Bob Jones University |
| Bob Adams President Revive America PAC |
The Honorable Timothy Echols PSC Commissioner State of Georgia |
| Dean B Nelson Chairman Frederick Douglass Foundation |
David Williams President Taxpayers Protection Alliance |
| Dr. Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D. Washington Bureau Chief Infowars.com |
Kevin D. Freeman Founder NSIC Institute |
| James N. Clymer Former National Chairman, Constitution Party Conservative Legal Defense and Education Fund |
Joseph A. Morris Partner Morris & De La Rosa |
| Robert K. Fischer Meeting Coordinator Conservatives of Faith |
Allen Hebert Chairman American-Chinese Fellowship of Houston |
| Peggy Dau Special Liasion Representative Voice of the Martyrs |
Dr. Ted Baehr Chairman MOVIEGUIDE® |
| C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
Ralph Schmidt Owner Schmidt Land and Cattle Co |
| Patrick A. Trueman President & CEO National Center on Sexual Exploitation |
Peter J. Thomas Chairman The Conservative Caucus |
| Charlie Gerow CEO Quantum Communications |
Kathleeen Patten President and CEO American Target Advertising |
| Willes K. Lee President National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
The Honorable Mica Mosbacher Author Mosbacher Interests LLC |
| Lee A. Beaman CEO & Owner Beaman Automotive Group |
Rod Vandenbos CEO Buzzbox |
| Ann Drexel Member, Board of Governors Council for National Policy |
Norman Singleton President Campaign for Liberty |
| Joe Calvert President Ramon-Calvert Interests |
Melvin Adams Past President Renewanation |
| Judson Phillips Founder Tea Party Nation |
Lou Cordia President, Cordia & Associates, and Executive Director, President Reagan’s Alumni Association |
| Ron Robinson President Young America’s Foundation |
James L. Martin Founder & Chairman 60 Plus Association |
| Robert D. Thompson Former Administrator The Weyrich Lunch |
