LINCOLN DAVIS VOTES TO STRIP FEDERAL PENSION OF CONVICTED MEMBERS January 23, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis today voted to deny taxpayer-funded pension benefits to House members convicted of corruption relating to their official duties. The measure passed the House by a vote of 431 to 0. Likely action in the Senate is expected soon.

"If a Member is willing to violate the public trust and abuse the power of his or her office for personal gain they should be punished accordingly," Davis said. "We can't legislate honesty, but we sure can protect taxpayers from funding the pensions of corrupt politicians."

As it stands now, federal law only strips Member pensions in cases of treason and certain espionage related offenses. The Pension Forfeiture Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Davis, will add bribery, offenses related to officers and employees acting as agents of foreign principals, conspiracy to commit one of the offenses listed above, conspiracy to violate the post-employment prohibitions, and perjury and subornation of perjury in falsely denying committing one of these crimes as grounds to strip Members of their pension.

The forfeiture applies to any conduct that occurs after enactment of the bill. In certain cases determined to be necessary, the Office of Personnel Management will be permitted to grant benefits to a Member's spouse and children, in which case the lump sum payment due to the Member based on his or her own contributions would be reduced by an appropriate amount.