Momentum is building to strengthen accountability for taxpayer-funded congressional pensions. Last week, we examined how, despite an existing list of crimes that trigger pension forfeiture, there are gaps that allow some lawmakers to keep collecting these benefits even if convicted of serious misconduct. We also highlighted a recent Senate bill that would expand that list to include certain abuse-related offenses.
Now, a new bipartisan proposal from Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), the Congressional Pension Integrity Act of 2026 (H.R. 8427), takes an important step forward by building on those efforts and further expanding the list of corruption-related offenses that will strip pensions for congressional convicts.
A Broader Standard for Misconduct
Under current law, pension forfeiture is limited to a set of offenses related to bribery, fraud, and obstruction of justice. While the first restrictions were focused on extreme offenses like treason, Congress added the additional convictions in the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) of 2007 and the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012. The full current list of crimes that would result in forfeiture is summarized in a Congressional Research Service report.
NTUF’s recent analysis, which was featured in outlets including the Washington Examiner, The Center Square, and The Washington Post, confirmed that former Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) will remain eligible for congressional pensions even if convicted of the types of misconduct that led to their resignations. Both are currently 45 and would be eligible for annual pensions of roughly $22,000 and $7,800, respectively, beginning at age 62.
This gap between serious misconduct and continued eligibility for taxpayer-funded benefits has fueled public concern and renewed calls for reform. In response, Sen. Josh Hawley introduced the No Pensions for Congressional Predators Act (S. 4343) which would expand pension forfeiture to include certain abuse-related offenses.
Newer legislation authored by Rep. Subramanyam and cosponsored by Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Emily Randall (D-WA), and Nancy Mace (R-SC) builds on that approach. In addition to adding abuse-related offenses, it also expands the list of corruption-related crimes that will strip a former member’s pension.
While HLOGA and the STOCK Act specify individual offenses across various sections of the U.S. Code, the Congressional Pension Integrity Act takes a broader approach by incorporating entire chapters of Title 18, including:
Chapter 11 – Bribery, Graft, and Conflicts of Interest: covering core public corruption offenses such as bribery, illegal gratuities, and self-dealing by federal officials.
Chapter 29 – Elections and Political Activities: addressing misconduct tied to federal elections and improper political activity.
Chapter 47 – Fraud and False Statements: encompassing schemes to defraud the government, false claims, and material misrepresentations.
Chapter 73 – Obstruction of Justice: targeting efforts to interfere with investigations, destroy evidence, or impede enforcement actions.
Chapter 93 – Public Officers and Employees: covering additional abuses of official position, including certain misconduct unique to federal officeholders.
Some specific provisions within these chapters are already covered under existing law, including core bribery and obstruction offenses under HLOGA and the STOCK Act. By incorporating entire chapters, however, the bill expands coverage to include additional offenses that have not traditionally triggered pension forfeiture, such as broader fraud schemes, false statements, concealment, and violations involving unregistered foreign agents.
Building on Progress
The Congressional Pension Integrity Act represents a welcome step toward strengthening accountability and holding public officials to high standards. By expanding the list of disqualifying corruption offenses—an approach NTUF has recommended—the bill helps ensure that a broader range of misconduct carries additional consequences that protect taxpayers and reinforce public confidence.
As lawmakers continue to refine pension forfeiture standards, there may be opportunities to build on this progress by examining other crimes that have arisen in the past. One example is the case of former Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL), who was convicted for crimes that would have stripped her pension. She faced a retrial after a successful appeal regarding the dismissal of a juror. However, instead of retrying the case, the Department of Justice reached a plea deal with Brown to a lesser crime of obstruction of Internal Revenue Service administration under 26 U.S.C. § 7212(a). Because that violation is not covered by HLOGA or the STOCK Act, her $71,000 pension remained intact.
Conclusion
At a time when public trust in government remains strained, strengthening standards for taxpayer-funded benefits is a commonsense place to start. The bipartisan Congressional Pension Integrity Act builds on prior reforms enacted in HLOGA, the STOCK Act, and the No CORRUPTION Act to expand accountability in a practical, targeted way. It is a step toward ensuring those entrusted with public office are held to the high standards that taxpayers expect.