WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Rick Scott (R-FL) announced their re-introduction of the No Congressionally-Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now (No CORRUPTION) Act, bipartisan legislation that would bar former Members of Congress who are convicted of bribery or other crimes related to their official duties from collecting their taxpayer-funded pensions.
“Especially during this period of economic turmoil, elected representatives have a higher responsibility to act as good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Rosen. “This bipartisan legislation would close a loophole allowing corrupt politicians to collect taxpayer-funded pensions after being found guilty of committing a crime, including those who are convicted but later pardoned by the President. I will continue working in Congress to protect our government institutions from corruption and protect the hard-earned money of our nation’s taxpayers.”
“It is unthinkable that a former member of Congress could be convicted of a crime involving public corruption and still benefit off the taxpayer dollars of hardworking families,” said Senator Scott. “We have to reform the dysfunctional ways of Washington so it serves American families. I’m proud to sponsor this bipartisan, common sense legislation to prevent criminals from getting taxpayer-funded retirement benefits.”
BACKGROUND: Current law requires former Members of Congress to forfeit their pensions only after exhausting their appeals, which allows convicted former members to go on filing one appeal after another for years, while collecting their taxpayer-funded pensions.
The bipartisan No CORRUPTION Act amends the law to close that loophole so that former Members of Congress lose their pensions immediately following a lawful conviction of a felony. The bill would also ensure that convicted former Members of Congress who are pardoned by a President of the United States will not receive pensions unless a court overturns their convictions.
Rosen and Scott originally introduced the legislation in February 2020, and it was unanimously voted out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) in March 2020.
The No CORRUPTION Act is supported by the National Taxpayers Union.
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