Kerry said, “It is disgusting that hardworking taxpayers are funding the retirement of convicted criminals like Duke Cunningham. No wonder people look at Washington and know this city is broken. The American people are forced to send pension checks to criminals.”

The Congressional Pension Accountability Act – or “The Duke Cunningham Act” – was authored by Kerry and is co-sponsored by Senator Ken Salazar.

Under current law, only a conviction for a crime against the United States, such as treason or espionage, causes U.S. Representatives and Senators to lose their Congressional pensions. Members of Congress convicted of white collar crimes still receive these federal retirement benefits. The Kerry legislation will change existing law to insure that the Congress no longer rewards unethical behavior at the expense of American taxpayers.

It is the intent of the Kerry bill to stop all future payments of Congressional pensions to lawmakers convicted of these serious ethics crimes. “The only thing crazier than giving a member of Congress convicted of a crime a federal pension is the fact that we still need a bill to prevent a convict from receiving their pension. Any member of Congress who abuses their position of authority for their personal profit deserves a prison sentence, not a government pension,” said Senator Salazar.

In the largest bribery case in the Congress since the 1980s, former Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham recently resigned from the House of Representatives after pleading guilty in federal court to receiving $2.4 million in bribes from military contractors and evading more than $1 million in taxes. In a plea agreement, Cunningham admitted a pattern of bribery lasting close to five years, with federal contractors giving him Persian rugs, a Rolls-Royce, antique furniture, travel and hotel expenses, use of a yacht and a lavish graduation party for his daughter. Unless the law is changed, Cunningham will be allowed to receive his Congressional pension of approximately $40,000 per year.

Under Kerry’s bill, the following offenses would cause a Member of Congress to lose his or her Congressional pension: - Bribery of public officials and witnesses (Section 201 of Title 18);

- Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud the United States (Section 371 of Title 18); - Perjury committed under the statues of the United States or the District of Columbia in falsely denying the commission of bribery or conspiracy; and - Subordination of perjury committed in connection with the false denial or false testimony of another individual.

“Most Americans don’t get a $40,000 a year pension, in fact most Americans are working harder for less and less. These guys who abuse the public trust shouldn’t be allowed to continue to exploit the system at taxpayer expense,” Kerry added.

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