Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) could still receive his pension, funded by taxpayer dollars, even in the face of his recent conviction for bribery. This urgent issue is why Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) are pressing for the immediate passage of their No CORRUPTION Act in the House of Representatives.
Short for the No Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerate Corrupted Officials Now, the bill is designed to ensure fairness. It would strip members of Congress of their taxpayer-funded pensions after a conviction for a felony in office, a measure that many would consider just.
However, under the current rules, the pensions are only forfeited if the convicted official has exhausted all their appeals. This loophole has led to the continual filing of appeals as a means of keeping pensions. The No CORRUPTION Act, if passed, would immediately strip pensions upon conviction, and not even a Presidential pardon would restore them unless the courts overturned the conviction, thereby ensuring that corrupt officials do not benefit from taxpayer-funded pensions.
The bipartisan nature of the bill is a testament to the unity of purpose among lawmakers. The bill passed the Senate last July and has remained in the House since, prompting renewed calls from the Florida and Nevada Senators.
"If we are going to make Washington work for American families, we need real reforms that hold politicians accountable and protect American taxpayers. 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," said Sen. Scott in his press release.
"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. 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," said Sen. Rosen.
