The bill would add 20 offenses that could be used to deny pensions.
Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown during an Associated Press interview at his office in Boston, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)WHAT'S IN THE BILL
According to the bill's sponsors, the following offenses would preclude members of Congress from receiving federal pensions:
• Bribery of public officials and witnesses
• Making false or fictitious claims to a government agency
• Offering or accepting expenditures to influence voting
• Promise of appointment by a candidate for office
• Solicitation of political contribution from other officer or employee of the U.S.
• Intimidation to secure political contributions
• Solicitation in a federal building
• Embezzlement and theft of public money, property or records
• Mail and wire fraud
• Witness or jury tampering
• Money laundering
• Perjury and obstruction of justice.
Sen. Scott Brown is among the co-sponors of a bill that would seek to strip members of Congress of their retirement benefits if they are convicted of a felony.
Called the "Congressional Integrity and Pension Forfeiture Act," the bill is in its early stages, having been introduced in late June and recently referred to committee. According to the text of the bill, "taxpayers should not pay for the congressional retirement benefits of present or former Members of Congress who have been convicted of a felony committed while serving as an elected government official."
Brown, a Republican, is one of four co-sponsors of the bill, including Sen. Mark Kirk, a Republican from Illinois who introduced the legislation, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat.
“Members of Congress who are convicted of corruption offenses should lose their taxpayer-funded pensions; it’s that simple,” Brown said in a statement.
In an interview with The Boston Herald, Brown cited the conviction of former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi as evidence of public corruption that ought not be rewarded through pensions. The bill, however, would only affect federal pensions.
The bill's sponsors pointed to former Republican Connecticut Gov. John Rowland and Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich as former Congressmen who would no longer be eligible for pensions under the proposed rules.