No GRIFT Act of 2026

The proposed bill is a valid exercise of Congress's power under the Spending Clause, which authorizes the legislature to condition the receipt of federal funds upon compliance with reasonable requirements. The condition here—that a nonprofit receiving a majority of its revenue from Department of Justice grants must not compensate any officer or employee in excess of the Attorney General's salary—is clearly related to the federal interest in the prudent and efficient use of public monies. Such conditions do not violate any constitutional prohibition; they merely set terms for voluntary particip…

Congress possesses the power to lay and collect taxes and to provide for the general welfare, which includes the authority to attach conditions to the expenditure of federal funds. This bill conditions the receipt of Department of Justice grants on a nonprofit organization's compensation structure, a condition clearly related to the efficient and prudent use of taxpayer money. As the federal government is under no obligation to fund any private entity, a nonprofit may choose to forgo the grant rather than comply. However, I would caution that such conditions must not be used as a means to indi…

The bill is a valid exercise of Congress's power to attach conditions to federal grants under the Spending Clause. The condition that a nonprofit heavily reliant on Department of Justice grants must not compensate its officers beyond the Attorney General's salary is a reasonable measure to ensure that federal funds are used prudently and not diverted to excessive executive pay. This condition is directly related to the federal interest in the proper administration of grants, and it does not exceed the enumerated powers of Congress. The condition does not violate any constitutional prohibition,…

This bill is a constitutional exercise of Congress's power to appropriate funds and attach conditions to their use. The condition—that a nonprofit receiving more than half its revenue from Department of Justice grants must not compensate any officer or employee in excess of the Attorney General's salary—is a reasonable means to ensure that federal grant funds are not diverted to excessive executive compensation, thereby promoting the efficient administration of justice. The power to spend for the general welfare, as vested in Congress by Article I, Section 8, Clause 1, includes the authority t…