WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement announcing that the No Congressionally-Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now (No CORRUPTION) Act, bipartisan legislation she introduced, was unanimously voted out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC).
“I came to Congress to stamp out government corruption and represent the interests of hardworking Nevada taxpayers. That includes preventing former members of Congress who committed serious crimes while in office from receiving taxpayer-funded pensions,” dijo el Senador Rosen. “I’m proud to see that my bipartisan bill has passed through committee, and I hope it will be taken up on the Senate floor for a vote. I will continue working in Congress to ensure that the hard-earned money of our nation’s taxpayers is used responsibly.”
BACKGROUND: Last month, Senator Rosen, along with Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), introduced the No CORRUPTION Act. This bipartisan bill 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. Bipartisan companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Brad Schneider (D-IL), along with Reps. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Harley Rouda (D-CA), Mark Meadows (R-NC), and Cindy Axne (D-IA).
Current law requires former Members of Congress to forfeit their pensions only after fully exhausting the appeals process, 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. If a former member’s conviction is overturned on appeal, the pension will be restored, and he or she will be eligible to receive retroactive payments. This bipartisan legislation is supported by the National Taxpayers Union.
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