U.S. House Passes Watered-Down Ethics Bill

The U.S. House has passed a bill banning federal pensions for convicted lawmakers — but not retroactively.

By a 431-0 vote, the measure, sponsored by freshman Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Kan., the House passed the bill that would deny federal pensions to lawmakers convicted of bribery, perjury and other related felonies.

However, it is not retroactive, and contains an override provision for families of convicted legislators who can prove financial hardship, the Washington Post reported.

Currently, members of Congress can be refused pensions only if they commit treason or other espionage offenses.

The National Taxpayers Union estimates at least 20 lawmakers convicted of felonies since 1980 are receiving federal pensions totaling about $1 million a year.

Union spokesman Peter Sepp said he was disappointed with the House bill, and a similar one passed in the Senate last week.

It’s a shame, really. This may not be the most ethical Congress ever after all, he told the Post.