[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 5 (Monday, January 9, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 WE SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD

  (Mr. YOHO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, the 115th Congress has a unique opportunity to 
clean the swamp, especially of Members who were convicted of committing 
felonies while serving in office and drawing a retirement check from 
the taxpayers.
  I reintroduced the Trust Restored to the United States Taxpayer Act, 
which eliminates the taxpayer-funded portion of congressional pensions 
for Members who were convicted of a felony while serving. I applaud the 
10 fellow Members of the House who cosponsored TRUST, and, in doing so, 
demonstrated they were willing to hold themselves accountable to their 
employers, the American taxpayers.
  We are willing to hold ourselves to the same standards we hold those 
who serve in our military and elsewhere. If Members of Congress are 
serious about cleaning up Washington and are truly accountable for 
their actions then supporting this bill is common sense. If we break 
the law and break the trust of the people who have placed us in power 
as their representatives then we should be willing to forfeit the 
taxpayer-funded portion of our retirement.
  We are not above the law. If anything, we should be held to a higher 
standard. I encourage my colleagues to support this.

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