Tillis wants to end federal benefits for lawmakers with felony convictions

Any member of Congress who has pled guilty to or been convicted of a felony while serving in office would lose federal retirement benefits and pensions under legislation proposed by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC).

“Members of Congress who violate the public trust and commit felonies do not deserve to further cheat their constituents by receiving taxpayer-funded pensions,” Sen. Tillis said on March 12 after sponsoring the No Cash for Crooks Act, S. 3459.

If enacted, S. 3459 also would change congressional ethics rules to function prospectively, meaning they would only apply to felonies committed after the bill’s enactment, according to Sen. Tillis’ office.

The bill was spurred by the case involving former U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), according to the senator’s office. Hunter in December 2019 pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy for converting campaign funds to personal use, and then resigned from the 116th Congress on Jan. 13.

Sen. Tillis introduced S. 3459 after the Los Angeles Times reported in January that Hunter is likely to receive more $1.2 million from his federal pension despite the guilty plea.

“The fact that a disgraced congressman was recently able to move back his resignation date so he could qualify for another year of eligibility for his pension shows how broken the system is,” said Sen. Tillis. “The No Cash For Crooks Act will close a loophole in existing law so corrupt members of Congress can’t continue to abuse the rules and make American taxpayers foot the bill.”

The legislation has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.