To require the repayment of appropriated funds that are illegally disbursed for political purposes by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

May 20, 2004

Mr. PALLONE (for himself, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. STARK, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MATSUI, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. SANDLIN, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. BERRY, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. STUPAK, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. RUSH, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. WYNN, Mrs. CAPPS, and Mr. GREEN of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To require the repayment of appropriated funds that are illegally disbursed for political purposes by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Medicare Trust Fund Reimbursement Act of 2004'.

SEC. 2. REPAYMENT TO THE MEDICARE TRUST FUNDS OF AMOUNTS ILLEGALLY DISBURSED FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES.

(a) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the Comptroller General of the United States determines that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has violated the restriction on using appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes contained in section 626 of division J of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 (Public Law 108-7; 117 Stat. 470) or any other provision of law, the principal campaign committee (as defined in section 301(5) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(5))) of the President of the United States shall reimburse the Federal Government for the amount used in committing such violation.

(b) REIMBURSEMENT OF MEDICARE TRUST FUNDS- To the extent that the amount described in subsection (a) was initially appropriated to the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund under section 1817 of the Social Security Act or the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 1841 of such Act, the amount reimbursed under such subsection shall be credited to the Trust Fund to which the amount was initially appropriated.

END