On the recordJanuary 9, 2017
Mr. Speaker, the 115th Congress has a unique opportunity to clean the swamp, especially of Members who were convicted of committing felonies while serving in office and drawing a retirement check from the taxpayers. I reintroduced the Trust Restored to the United States Taxpayer Act, which eliminates the taxpayer-funded portion of congressional pensions for Members who were convicted of a felony while serving. I applaud the 10 fellow Members of the House who cosponsored TRUST, and, in doing so, demonstrated they were willing to hold themselves accountable to their employers, the American taxpayers. We are willing to hold ourselves to the same standards we hold those who serve in our military and elsewhere. If Members of Congress are serious about cleaning up Washington and are truly accountable for their actions then supporting this bill is common sense. If we break the law and break the trust of the people who have placed us in power as their representatives then we should be willing to forfeit the taxpayer-funded portion of our retirement. We are not above the law. If anything, we should be held to a higher standard. I encourage my colleagues to support this. ____________________





