BLANCHE Act of 2026

This bill amends Title 28 of the United States Code to establish new requirements for compromise settlements between the President and the United States. It aims to prevent the President, or any individual who assumed the office while a claim was pending, from entering into agreements that result in payments from the U.S. government.

The legislation specifically prohibits the President or any third party, at the President's direction, from receiving any cash or in-kind payment from the United States in such settlements. Any covered agreement to resolve a claim against the United States filed by the President is deemed void ab initio unless it is explicitly given effect by a court order.

A court may only issue such an order after the President files a civil action and the proposed terms, followed by a hearing with evidence from both parties. The court must make explicit findings that the parties are adverse, the action was not brought to force an agreement, the U.S. explored defenses in good faith, and the agreement is neither collusive nor a fraud on the court, and is in the interest of justice.