Duval Times

In an op-ed for the Sun Sentinel, Senator Rick Scott and Demian Brady, Vice President of Research at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, reiterated Senator Scott's call for Congress to pass the No Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used As Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now (No CORRUPTION) Act. The bipartisan legislation unanimously passed the Senate earlier this year and is now awaiting consideration in the House of Representatives.

The No CORRUPTION Act aims to close a significant loophole in federal law that allows convicted politicians to continue collecting federal pensions. Senator Scott and Brady emphasized the need to hold members of Congress to the highest standards and ensure severe consequences for violating the public's trust. They highlighted the unfairness of former members of Congress convicted of corruption and fraud benefiting from taxpayer-funded pensions.

The op-ed also pointed out that current laws only require the forfeiture of pensions upon final conviction, allowing convicted politicians to continue receiving taxpayer dollars throughout their appeals process. Since the passage of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) and the STOCK Act, no members of Congress have been confirmed to have forfeited their pensions.

One recent example mentioned in the article is Senator Bob Menendez, who was indicted for corruption and may potentially lose his estimated $70,100 congressional pension. The No CORRUPTION Act, if passed, would cut off pension eligibility upon initial conviction and prevent convicted politicians from receiving pensions even if they receive a presidential pardon, unless their convictions are overturned by a court.

Senator Scott and Brady concluded the op-ed by highlighting the bipartisan support for the No CORRUPTION Act, with every member of the Senate unanimously passing the legislation. They emphasized the importance of enacting real reforms to make Washington work for American families and put an end to the current dysfunction.

The call for closing the corruption loophole in federal law is seen as a significant step towards holding members of Congress accountable for their actions and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not used to support convicted politicians.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2023/12/in-case-you-missed-it-sen-rick-scott-national-taxpayers-union-in-the-sun-sentinel-closing-a-corruption-loophole