[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 138 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CROOKED PENSION RETRIEVAL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GEORGE W. GEKAS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, September 28, 1996

  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to applaud the House of 
Representatives for its 391 to 32 vote on Thursday, September 26, 1996, 
on H.R. 4011, the Congressional Pension Forfeiture Act. This measure 
would prohibit a Member of Congress from collecting Federal retirement 
benefits if they are convicted of a felony. My vote on this much needed 
proposal was ``aye.''
  My support of this measure was, of course, a given. Why? Well, H.R. 
4011 was a descendant of my own proposal--H.R. 3342, the Anti-Bribery 
Act of 1991--from the 102d Congress. H.R. 3342 had its beginnings in 
the State of Pennsylvania, where public corruption linked with huge 
pension payouts led to my successful efforts there as a State senator 
to reform the system in the same way we are doing now. Public trust in 
public officials means just that: If you violate it, you should not be 
rewarded in any fashion for that violation.
  I submit for the Record a press release from September 9, 1991--
nearly 5 years ago to the day--regarding my early involvement in the 
issue of restoring public trust in public officials, and punishing 
those who violate that trust.

                       Restoring the Public Trust

                     (By Congressman George Gekas)

       Many of us can remember the images across our television 
     scenes in the 1980's: Members of Congress videotaped 
     accepting bribes as part of the ``Abscam'' investigation. 
     These images burned in the minds of Americans and further 
     deepened their suspicions about public officials in general.
       Indeed, there have been too many instances over the past 
     few decades where Members of Congress and other elected or 
     appointed officials have betrayed the trust the public has 
     placed in them by engaging in bribes or in conspiracies to 
     defraud the government. We recently have seen some 
     convictions from the so-called ``Ill Wind'' scandal that 
     involved defense contractors bribing some Defense Department 
     officials.
       I believe that we need to send a clear signal that this 
     type of activity cannot be tolerated among any public servant 
     who works for the federal government. I have introduced 
     legislation, ``The Anti-Bribery Act,'' that would prove to be 
     a strong deterrent to anyone considering engaging in an act 
     of bribery. Under current law, if a Member of Congress, for 
     instance, was convicted of bribery, he would be subjected 
     to a prison sentence or a severe fine. He would, however, 
     after going to jail, come out and continue to receive his 
     federal pension. My legislation would prevent that from 
     ever taking place, because that individual's pension or 
     retirement benefit would be forfeited by reason of the 
     bribery conviction.
       When I was in the Senate of Pennsylvania, and there had 
     been a spate of convictions of public officials, it did not 
     take too long before the General Assembly acted on this type 
     of legislation. I supported a bill, authored by Senator John 
     Hopper of Camp Hill, that did precisely the same thing--cut 
     off the pension benefits from a convicted public official.
       ``The Anti-Bribery Act of 1991'' would make sure that there 
     would be no existing loopholes in federal statutes that would 
     allow Members of Congress and other officials to receive any 
     benefits after betraying the public trust. The public has a 
     right to expect that all public servants--especially Members 
     of Congress--have the highest degree of integrity in 
     performing their duties. Those individuals who would stoop so 
     low as to accept a bribe do not deserve to be the beneficiary 
     of any retirement pay from the federal government. This 
     legislation, in my estimation would send a clear message to 
     all that any type of payoff to anyone working for our 
     nation's taxpayers will not be tolerated or rewarded in any 
     way, shape or form.
       We in Congress must take the lead in restoring the public's 
     faith in government. As I have said, there is a perception 
     out there that we in Congress are unethical and corrupt. I 
     believe that the majority of public officials are faithful 
     public servants, but we must take a stronger stand against 
     those who go about destroying what little faith the American 
     people have left in their government.
       I believe that my legislation is a major step forward in 
     preventing corruption from taking place within the ranks of 
     the federal government. It is my hope that my colleagues will 
     come up to the plate and join me.

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