East Idaho Times

U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both Republicans from Idaho, have introduced the No Taxpayer-Funded Pensions for Sex Criminals Act. This legislation aims to prohibit sex offenders from receiving taxpayer-funded pensions, following reports of criminal misconduct at federal agencies such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Currently, federal employees convicted of sex crimes, including those against children, are still eligible to collect their taxpayer-funded pensions even while incarcerated. The proposed bill seeks to address this issue by ensuring that such individuals are no longer able to benefit from these funds.

"Accountability and upholding public trust are tenets of good government, especially when it comes to the responsible spending of taxpayer dollars," said Crapo. "This legislation holds criminals convicted of monstrous acts accountable by cutting off their taxpayer-funded pension and sends a strong message that the federal government will not allow criminals to continue collecting benefits."

Risch echoed these sentiments: "Real crimes deserve real consequences. Any federal employee convicted of a heinous crime should forfeit their right to a taxpayer-funded pension. This will protect taxpayer dollars while holding criminals accountable for their actions."

The bill has garnered bipartisan support with Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Rick Scott (R-Florida), and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) joining Crapo and Risch in introducing the legislation.