[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1487-E1488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRESSIONAL PENSION FORFEITURE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RANDY TATE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 1996

  Mr. TATE. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to introduce the 
Congressional Pension Forfeiture Act with my colleagues, Mr. Riggs and 
Mr. Dickey. The three of us have worked long and hard to define this 
important, historic legislation to deny pension benefits to Members of 
Congress convicted of federal felonies. I'd like to thank them for 
their hard work, and I think I can speak for all three of us in 
thanking Mr. Hoekstra, chairman of the Speaker's Task Force on Reform, 
for his continued interest and involvement in our efforts.

[[Page E1488]]

  The Congressional Pension Forfeiture Act combines the best elements 
of the three bills we introduced separately. The American people are 
fed up with business as usual in Washington, DC. The last thing that 
hardworking Americans and their families should expect is to pay for a 
convicted felon's retirement. No family struggling to pay for their 
groceries, health care, or education should be handing their hard 
earned money over to Congressional felons.
  This bill has over 50 cosponsors and bipartisan support. I know an 
overwhelming majority of Americans support this commonsense, historic 
Congressional reform legislation.
  A former Representative was recently sentenced to 17 months in prison 
for crimes he committed against the American people. But while he sits 
behind bars, he'll be collecting nearly $100,000 a year from his 
taxpayer-funded Congressional pension account. For this Congress to 
turn its back on the American public and let another Member leave 
office with his retirement nest egg would be unconscionable. Our 
bipartisan, consensus bill ends this taxpayer rip-off.
  Every Member of Congress has a contract with the working men and 
women in his district when the Oath of Office is taken: to uphold the 
public trust. Last year 14 lawmakers-turned-lawbreakers collected 
$667,000 in taxpayer-subsidized Congressional pension benefits. We 
should help hard-working middle class Americans, not Congressional 
felons.
  Our bill states that after the beginning of the 105th Congress, 
Members who are convicted of a federal felony that is committed while 
the Members are serving will forfeit their Congressional pensions and 
will forfeit their matching benefits and increased earnings under their 
Thrift Savings Plan.
  By passing this legislation, we are once again standing up for hard-
working American families. Americans who have never broken the law and 
pay taxes out of their hard-earned money want us to eliminate this 
egregious policy now.
  Passage of this historic legislation will be the crown jewel of the 
Congress with the strongest reform agenda in forty years. The 104th 
Congress has done more to reform this institution than any Congress 
before us. It is what the American people want and it is what we in the 
House of Representatives should give them.
  I urge all my colleagues to lend their wholehearted support to this 
historic legislation and I ask the House leadership to work with Mr. 
Riggs, Mr. Dickey, and me to bring this important bill to the floor 
before the 104th Congress adjourns.

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