Kennedy, Ernst introduce bipartisan bill to bar sex criminals from receiving taxpayer-funded pensions

Submitted by United States Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana

WASHINGTON (May 15, 2024) – Senator John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking and Judiciary Committees, joined Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) in introducing the No Taxpayer-Funded Pensions for Sex Criminals Act.

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The legislation would amend current law to bar federal employees and federal contractors who are convicted of sexual crimes, including aggravated sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children, sexual abuse of children and transportation for illegal sexual activity, from receiving federal government pensions.

“The No Taxpayer-Funded Pensions for Sex Criminals Act would ensure that government employees who commit sexual crimes don’t get to retire on Americans’ dime,” said Kennedy.

The legislation would ensure that criminals convicted of sex crimes under federal law or a substantially similar state law would not be eligible to receive federal government pensions.

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The conduct under Title 18 of the U.S. Code that would trigger federal employees to lose their pensions includes, for example:

• 18 U.S.C. § 2241. Aggravated sexual abuse.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2242. Sexual abuse.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2243. Sexual abuse of a minor, a ward or an individual in federal custody.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2251. Sexual exploitation of children.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2251A. Selling or buying of children.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2252. Certain activities relating to material involving the sexual exploitation of minors.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2252A. Certain activities relating to material constituting or containing child pornography.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2421A. Promotion or facilitation of prostitution and reckless disregard of sex trafficking.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2422. Coercion and enticement.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2423. Transportation of minors.

• 18 U.S.C. § 2425. Use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor.

Background:

• On April 30, 2024, a former Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) attorney was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring to sexually exploit numerous children.

• In Nov. 2023, Kennedy questioned FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg at a Senate Banking Committee Hearing about reports indicating that Chairman Gruenberg has failed to address sexual harassment and other inappropriate behavior within the agency.

• On May 7, 2024, the FDIC released a report from an independent third-party review of allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct at the FDIC.  The independent report reveals that more than 500 FDIC employees reported misconduct, including incidents of sexual harassment gender-, sex- or race-based discrimination and verbal abuse.

Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R.-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) also cosponsored the legislation.

Full text of the No Taxpayer-Funded Pensions for Sex Criminals Act is available here.