Settlement Agreement Information Database Act of 2026

Increased Transparency through Public Databases: Agency heads must establish and maintain a public online database that includes categorized and searchable lists of covered settlement agreements (Section 2(b)(1)(A)). This provides the public with access to specific information such as the date of execution, the amounts parties are obligated to pay, and the specific statutory provisions allegedly violated (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(i)).

Accountability for Large Settlements: The bill targets agreements that require not less than $10,000,000 in total explicitly obligated payments (Section 2(a)(2)(A)(i)). By requiring these details to be published, it brings visibility to significant financial settlements involving the government.

Oversight of Government Entities: The requirements apply to agreements involving various government units, including States, metropolitan cities, or local governments (Section 2(a)(2)(A)(iii)). This ensures that settlements involving these entities are subject to public scrutiny.

Monitoring of Exempted Agreements: Agencies must submit a report to Congress and make it publicly available regarding covered settlement agreements that were not disclosed in the database (Section 2(b)(3)(A)). This report includes the number of exempted agreements and the specific reasons for those exemptions, which helps track what information is being withheld from the public.

Exemptions from Disclosure: Certain settlement agreements will not be published if they are subject to a confidentiality provision, a court order, or are subject to withholding under section 552 (Section 2(b)(1)(B)). This means some significant agreements may still remain private.

Exclusion of Specific Legal Matters: The definition of a "covered settlement agreement" specifically excludes matters related to the United States Trustee Program, Federal employee personnel actions, non-prosecution agreements, plea bargains, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or certain actions under title 18 (Section 2(a)(2)(A)(B)). This limits the scope of the transparency the bill provides.

Limits on Legal Recourse: The act specifies that the inclusion or omission of information in the required databases shall not be construed as creating any legal right or opportunity for judicial review (Section 2(c)(2)).