1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “No More Ghost Money Act”.
No More Ghost Money Act
A BILL
To prohibit monetary payments by the Federal Government to employees, officers, and elected officials of foreign countries for purposes of bribery, coercion, or any activity that is illegal or undermines the rule of law or corrupts a public officer or the office such officer represents, and for other purposes.
2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
On May 4, 2013, President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai revealed that the Central Intelligence Agency regularly made cash payments to his office.
The corrupt practice of making such payments undermines the rule of law and undercuts a central strategic United States goal in Afghanistan: Establishing a credible and transparent Afghan government responsive to popular concerns.
3. Prohibition of payments to individuals affiliated with foreign governments
Prohibition— Subject to section 5, no department or agency of the Federal Government or contractor to the Federal Government may make a monetary payment to an employee, officer, elected official, or representative of the government of a foreign country for the purposes of bribery, coercion, or any activity that is illegal or undermines the rule of law or corrupts a public officer or the office such officer represents.
Procedures— The President shall establish procedures to carry out and enforce the prohibition under subsection (a).
4. Report on payments to individuals affiliated with the Government of Afghanistan
Subject to section 5, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency shall submit to Congress a report on all monetary payments made by the Central Intelligence Agency to employees, officers, elected officials, or representatives of the Government of Afghanistan on or after September 11, 2001. Such report shall include—
a description of all payments made to employees, officers, elected officials, or representatives of the Government of Afghanistan on or after September 11, 2001, including any receipts provided by such employees, officers, elected officials, or representatives and, to the extent possible, copies of such receipts;
the legal basis for making such payments;
the strategic goals supported by such payments; and
the effectiveness of such payments in achieving such strategic goals.
5. National security waiver
The President may waive a requirement of section 3 or 4 if the President certifies to Congress that fulfilling such requirement would harm the national security of the United States or members of the Armed Forces.