Katie Porter: “I strongly support H.R. 4011, the Congressional Pension Forfeiture Act. Under current law, a Member of Congress who is…”

“I strongly support H.R. 4011, the Congressional Pension Forfeiture Act. Under current law, a Member of Congress who is convicted of a felony is eligible for a full Federal pension. This pension is partially subsidized by the American taxpayer. I am very pleased that this Congress has made government reform the centerpiece of its agenda and is now considering this bill to prohibit Members of Congress convicted of a felony from receiving the taxpayer funded portion of their Federal pension. In my opinion, this reform is long overdue. In 1975, as a member of the Illinois State Legislature, I successfully enacted into law a measure denying pay and pensions to Illinois State legislators convicted of felonies. In 1982, as a relatively new Member of Congress, I introduced similar Federal legislation to deny congressional felons their annuity benefits. Unfortunately, my proposal failed to gain widespread support in previous Congresses in which I introduced it, but under new leadership, this Congress is about to enact it. As lawmakers, Members of Congress have a duty to be law abiders. Americans should expect a high standard of conduct from its elected officials and demand nothing less. When an elected Member of Congress breaches the public trust by showing a blatant disregard for the law, the integrity of the entire institution is questioned. To compound this damage by rewarding these felons with a taxpayer funded pension is unconscionable.”