[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14564]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         CONGRESSIONAL PENSIONS

  (Mr. KIRK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute).
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, last month, several former Members of Congress 
cashed in their taxpayer-funded retirement checks from jail. After 
indictment and conviction beyond a shadow of a doubt, they are still 
paid each month by the taxpayers they betrayed.
  After supporting a limited reform bill on this issue, this Congress 
has stopped all action on the needed reforms. We took no action in 
February. We took no action in March, no action in April and no action 
in May.
  The House leadership has conveniently stalled all reforms that would 
kill the pension for a Member of Congress convicted of a felony for 
over 4 months now. Since senior Members have the largest pensions, you 
have to wonder if they are delaying this reform hoping that this 
Congress will fail, like all of its predecessors.
  Congressman Jefferson was indicted this weekend, and one group 
estimated that he is entitled to a $47,000 annual taxpayer pension.
  Mr. Speaker, if we delay this reform, future Members of Congress who 
are convicted will cash their taxpayer-funded retirement checks from 
the jailhouse ATM.

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