Senator Jacky Rosen has a new bill heading to President Biden’s desk that will tackle public corruption and conflicts of interest on Capitol Hill.
NEWSCAST CORRECTION: the Rosen bill was co-sponsored by Senator Rick Scott of Florida, not Tim Scott of South Carolina.
The No Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used As Pensions to Incarcerated Officials Now (No CORRUPTION) Act passed the Senate last year. It prevents members of Congress from collecting taxpayer-funded pensions if they are convicted of a felony related to public corruption, even if they continue to drag out the appeals process.
“It sends a message because any lawmaker who has been convicted of a felony of corruption should not be receiving a taxpayer-funded pension. Let me tell you, people work hard to pay their taxes, and nobody wants a lawmaker convicted of a felony to get that pension,” said (D-NV) Senator Jacky Rosen.
Current law allows former members of Congress convicted of a felony to retain their pensions until they exhaust their appeals, enabling them to collect taxpayer-funded benefits for years. The No Corruption Act seeks to change this, ensuring they lose their pensions immediately upon conviction of specific official-duty-related felonies.
According to the National Taxpayers Union, over the past two and a half decades, more than 20 lawmakers have been convicted of serious crimes while in office, and many continued or were eligible to receive retirement benefits.
“Anybody who has had a conviction, you have the right to appeal the conviction, and it can be stuck in the courts for years. So, in the meantime, I can tell you who wants this. People are worried about paying their own bills, let alone having their tax dollars go to support somebody who has been convicted of a felony, a lawmaker,” said Senator Rosen.
This continues Rosen’s track record on bills to clean up Washington.
Following the July Supreme Court ruling to give presidents immunity for official acts, Senator Rosen introduced a constitutional amendment to stop it and apply accountability to the office.
“You stop at the stop sign; you play by the rules. You send your kids to school, you work hard, and you want to retire. Most people play by the rules. And, if you don’t, there should be a price for that. No one is above the law,” said Senator Rosen.
