WASHINGTON DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Rick Scott (R-FL) renewed their call for the House of Representatives to pass their bipartisan legislation to bar Members of Congress from collecting taxpayer-funded pensions if they are convicted of felonies related to their official duties. Their No CORRUPTION (Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used As Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now) Act would prevent Members of Congress from continuing to receive these taxpayer dollars post-conviction by dragging out the appeals process. Last year, this bill passed the Senate, and it has been awaiting action in the House of Representatives.
“No Member of Congress who has been convicted of corruption-related felonies during their time in office should receive a single dime from a taxpayer-funded pension,” dijo el Senador Rosen. “Hardworking Nevadans can’t afford their tax dollars going to line the pockets of Washington politicians who have violated the public trust. Senator Scott and I are calling on the House of Representatives to pass our commonsense, bipartisan legislation to hold corrupt officials accountable.”
“If we are going to make Washington work for American families, we need real reforms that hold politicians accountable and protect American taxpayers,” said Senator Scott. “It is unthinkable that a former member of Congress could be convicted of a crime involving public corruption and still benefit off of the taxes paid by hardworking American families. I’m proud to sponsor this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to prevent criminals from getting taxpayer-funded retirement benefits and urge my colleagues in the House to pass it without delay.”
“The No CORRUPTION Act closes a loophole that allows former members of Congress to continue collecting taxpayer-funded pensions long after they’ve been convicted of corruption,” said Demian Brady, Vice President of Research at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation. “Senators Rosen and Scott’s bipartisan reform is crucial for restoring public trust in government and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.”
Current law requires former members of Congress convicted of a felony 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 No CORRUPTION Act amends the law to close that loophole, so former members of Congress lose their pensions immediately following a lawful conviction of certain felonies related to their official duties. 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.
Senator Rosen has been a leader in fighting for fiscal responsibility and protecting Nevadans’ tax dollars. Earlier this year, she helped pass bipartisan legislation out of committee to cut down on wasteful spending by ensuring the federal government does not make improper payments to people after they have passed away. She also joined bipartisan legislation to investigate, review, and audit federal funding from pandemic-related programs, federal unemployment insurance, Small Business Administration loans, and other landmark legislation to stop any waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Additionally, Senator Rosen recently announced that the bipartisan Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act she joined to increase transparency in government projects that are delayed or over budget passed the Senate.
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