A pair of House Democrats are expected to introduce a bill that would ban a president convicted of a felony from receiving their pension.
The Hill reports that Reps. John Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) have co-authored the Restoring and Enforcing Accountability of Presidents (REAP) Act and plan on introducing the bill on Thursday.
The REAP Act would amend the Former Presidents Act of 1958 to strip former presidents convicted of a felony of their $219,200 annual pension. It would also strip them of funds to pay staff and office space.
However, it would not prevent them from receiving Secret Service protection.
The bill does not mention any president by name.
However, it has been perceived as a jab against former President Donald Trump, who is facing civil and criminal investigations. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors in New York City can obtain his tax returns.
None of the ongoing investigations have resulted in a felony charge for Trump.
In a statement, Maloney said, “Breaking the law has consequences — no matter how powerful you are, or were. Presidents who are convicted of a felony should not receive taxpayer-funded benefits. It’s that simple.”
“The fact that this bill is now necessary in America brings me no joy, but we must demand accountability from those who have held our nation’s highest office,” he added.
Jayapal said, “While Congress must refuse to let Donald Trump off the hook for inciting a deadly insurrection and for committing countless other crimes during his lawless presidency, we must also ensure that no president who is convicted of a felony receives taxpayer-funded benefits.”
“The REAP Act is an important step towards finally securing full accountability and justice in this country,” she added.
The REAP Act is not the only bill that appears targeted at Trump, as IJR reported.
Last week, House Democrats introduced a separate bill titled the “No Glory for Hate Act” that would ban former presidents who have been impeached twice from being buried in Arlington National Cemetary.
It would also ban the ability to “create or display any symbol, monument, or statue commemorating any former President that has been twice impeached” on federal property.
That act would dictate that a president who has been impeached twice is “not entitled to receive any benefit, other than Secret Service protection, under such Act.”
While that bill does not specifically mention Trump either, he is the only president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.
