The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) released the following letters to the sponsors and cosponsors of S. 3332 and H.R. 5980, the No Congressionally-Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now (NO CORRUPTION) Act. Read the Senate letter below, and either letter at the PDF links above.
Senate Letter Text
The Honorable Jacky Rosen
United States Senate
114 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Rick Scott
United States Senate
716 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senators Rosen and Scott:
On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, I write to express our support for your legislation, S. 3332, the No Congressionally-Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now (NO CORRUPTION) Act. This commonsense bipartisan legislation closes a loophole that permits members of Congress convicted of a crime to still collect a taxpayer-funded pension. We are proud to endorse S. 3332 and urge all Senators to cosponsor this important legislation.
Currently under federal law, members of Congress who are convicted of a crime are still entitled to collect a taxpayer-funded pension up until their day of sentencing. This means that even after a lawful conviction for corruption, members can go on to receive their taxpayer-funded pensions for years, even while in prison, by filing one appeal after another. Those who betray the public trust by furthering their own interests should not be rewarded precious taxpayer dollars that would be better spent elsewhere.
Thankfully, the NO CORRUPTION Act would rightly close this loophole. It would update the law to immediately halt any federal pension payment to a member of Congress following a lawful conviction. If their conviction is overturned on appeal, the member would continue to receive their pension as normal and would also be eligible to receive any retroactive payments for which they would have been eligible. Enacting this legislation will send a clear message that no individual, regardless of their position of power, is above the law and immune from consequences.
NTU strongly supports this proposal to ensure taxpayer dollars are used in a more responsible manner and looks forward to working with you to enact this important fix into law.
Sincerely,
Thomas Aiello
Policy and Government Affairs Associate