<p>A bipartisan group of lawmakers plans to introduce legislation on September 4, 2026, aimed at stripping members of Congress of their taxpayer-funded pensions if an ethics committee investigation finds substantial reason to believe they committed a violation.</p>
<p>The bill is being introduced during a period marked by several scandals in Congress. It is sponsored by Representatives Zach Nunn (R-IA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Young Kim (R-CA), and Angie Craig (D-MN). The proposed legislation builds on a previous bill introduced by Nunn, Craig, and Pappas in 2023, which sought to bar expelled members from receiving a pension but did not become law.</p>
<p>This new bill responds to the resignation of Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who stepped down after the House Ethics Committee found her guilty of campaign finance violations.</p>
<p>Nunn stated that the new legislation aims to address two loopholes in the prior bill. First, it would ensure that records of ongoing ethics investigations are preserved if a member resigns. Second, it would prevent members from receiving pensions if they resign after the committee finds evidence of an ethics violation.</p>
<p>Nunn remarked, “I first introduced this bill after George Santos was expelled, because members found unfit to serve are also unfit to receive a taxpayer-funded pension. Since then, we’ve seen members resign in the middle of investigations into serious misconduct, exposing a serious loophole in the current system where resignation is the end of accountability. This bipartisan bill closes both loopholes, restoring accountability and ensuring taxpayers aren’t on the hook for the pensions of politicians who break the public trust.”</p>
<p>Currently, members of Congress who resign can retain the benefits associated with being a former member, even if an ethics committee report finds them guilty. The proposed Congressional Pension Accountability Act would forfeit pensions not only for expelled members but also for those who resign after the ethics committee has determined there is reason to believe they committed a serious violation.</p>
<p>The bill would also ensure that ethics investigation records are preserved when a member resigns while under investigation, making the documents accessible if the former member seeks to return to Congress. Cherfilus-McCormick attempted to run again after her resignation but lost in the primary. This preservation would also apply to former members like California Democrat Eric Swalwell and Texas Republican Tony Gonzales, both of whom resigned amid investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct.</p>
<p>The legislation clarifies that a presidential pardon or commutation does not restore pension benefits.</p>
<p>Pappas stated, “Members of Congress whose behavior rises to the high bar set for expulsion, particularly those who have been found to have defrauded their constituents and abused the privileges of their office, shouldn’t be able to retire on the taxpayer’s dime. Our government must always be accountable to the people.”</p>
<p>Since 1946, lawmakers with at least five years in office or other federal service can qualify for a taxpayer-funded pension. George Santos was the last individual expelled from the House in 2023 following multiple federal charges and was later sentenced to nearly seven years in prison. He was released after about three months due to a presidential pardon but does not qualify for a pension as he did not serve five years.</p>