No Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used As Pensions to Incarcerated Officials Now Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 932) to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for the halt in pension payments for Members of Congress sentenced for certain offenses, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 932

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``No Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now Act'' or the ``No CORRUPTION Act''. SEC. 2. FORFEITURE OF PENSION.

(a) In General.--Section 8332(o) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively;

(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

``(4)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), an individual convicted of an offense described in paragraph (2) shall not be eligible to receive any payment of an annuity pursuant to the retirement system under this subchapter or chapter 84, except that this sentence applies only to such payments based on service rendered as a Member (irrespective of when rendered).

``(B) If the conviction of an individual described in subparagraph (A) is overturned on appeal by a court of competent jurisdiction, the individual shall receive payments that the individual would have received but for the application of subparagraph (A).

``(C) This paragraph applies only to a conviction that occurs after the date of enactment of the No Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now Act.'';

(3) in paragraph (5)(B)(i), as so redesignated, by striking ``paragraph (5)'' and inserting ``paragraph (6)''; and

(4) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated, by striking ``paragraph (4)(B)'' and inserting ``paragraph (5)(B)''.

(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--Section 719(e)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``section 8332(o)(5)'' and inserting ``section 8332(o)(6)''.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. STEIL. 932, the No CORRUPTION Act.

Mr. Speaker, this measure will halt annuity payments for Members of Congress sentenced for public corruption charges. This includes charges of bribery of public officials and witnesses, acting as an agent of a foreign principal, or engaging in conspiracy to commit an offense to defraud the United States.

Under current law, a Member of Congress who is convicted on public corruption charges is prohibited from receiving their congressional pension. That said, Members may continue receiving pension payments while appealing their conviction.

The No CORRUPTION Act addresses this gap and will withhold pension payments immediately upon conviction. If the conviction is overturned on appeal, the pension will be restored. The Member will be able to receive any benefits withheld.

This is a commonsense measure for the House to consider and pass.

Let's be clear: A Member of Congress convicted of public corruption charges should not be paid at taxpayer expense. The bipartisan measure was introduced by Senators Rick Scott and Jacky Rosen and passed the Senate this summer. I am pleased to bring the measure forward to ensure accountability for Members of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of S. 932, and I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague, Mr. Norman, for his work on this commonsense legislation. It is good to see, in the home stretch of the year, that we are still able to get some commonsense legislation across the floor of the House and, hopefully, signed into law in the near future, as this bill already passed the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source