Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced legislation to block members of Congress convicted of sexual abuse from receiving taxpayer-funded pensions, a proposal he framed as closing a gap in federal law.
“Right now, a member of Congress can be convicted of sexual abuse and still receive a taxpayer-funded pension. That is unacceptable,” Hawley said in a statement.
“I’m introducing legislation to end this loophole and ensure that lawmakers are never compensated with taxpayer dollars after such a breach of trust. The only thing the government should be paying for is a jail cell for these people,” he added.
The measure, titled the No Pensions for Congressional Predators Act, would prohibit lawmakers convicted of felony sex crimes from collecting federal retirement benefits.
🚨 JUST IN: Sen. Josh Hawley says that Nancy Pelosi KNEW about Eric Swalwell's troubles, she was even BRIEFED back in 2020
But Pelosi kept her intel as BLACKMAIL.
Hawley is now filing a bill that would BLOCK Swalwell from getting his pension if convicted
The blackmail was… pic.twitter.com/Tj5SpN8FNu
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 16, 2026
Hawley said the bill is aimed at increasing accountability for members of Congress who commit sex crimes, noting current rules allow pension eligibility even after a conviction.
“Right now, you could be convicted and still get your pension. The only thing that government ought to be paying for for people like Eric Swalwell is a jail cell,” Hawley told Fox News’s Jesse Watters.
The proposal comes as former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) faces allegations of sexual assault and misconduct that have triggered multiple investigations.
🚨 ERIC SWALWELL DOESN’T DESERVE A PENNY OF TAXPAYER MONEY! LFG!
Rep @laurenboebert is working to cancel Eric Swalwell’s congressional pension!
Boebert: “Former Congressman Eric Swalwell abused his position of power in Congress to assault and victimize women.
Now, as… pic.twitter.com/Az27NfxXtI
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) April 16, 2026
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) said Congress should act to revoke pensions for Swalwell and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), both of whom resigned this week following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Boebert said she is working on efforts to ensure lawmakers accused of abusing their positions do not continue receiving taxpayer-funded benefits.
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“Former Congressman Eric Swalwell abused his position of power in Congress to assault and victimize women,” Boebert said in a video posted on X.
“Now as things stand, taxpayers will be sending him tens of thousands of dollars every year for the rest of his life. This is totally unacceptable.”
She also said the two former lawmakers should have faced expulsion rather than being allowed to resign.
“And I think that we actually need to look into ways to censure, with other aspects to say you can’t have your pension, you can’t leave here with all your taxpayer-funded benefits after such shameful acts that cause you to bow out and resign from Congress,” Boebert said during an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju.
Under current federal retirement systems, including the Federal Employees Retirement System and the Civil Service Retirement System, lawmakers become eligible for pensions after at least five years of service.
Swalwell and Gonzales would not be able to access those benefits until age 62 and would receive approximately $22,000 annually for life.
Swalwell has denied the allegations against him as investigations continue at both the federal and local levels.
The Department of Justice is reviewing the accusations, while district attorneys in Los Angeles and Manhattan have opened probes into claims brought by multiple women.
Accusations from five women now span several years and include claims of sexual assault and other misconduct.
Authorities in Los Angeles County said their investigation remains in preliminary stages as investigators gather evidence and conduct follow-up inquiries.
The case will be presented to the district attorney’s office for a decision on potential charges once the investigation is complete.
In New York, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has asked individuals with information related to the allegations to contact its Special Victims Division.
The alleged assault involving a former staffer is said to have occurred within that jurisdiction.
Swalwell’s attorney, Sara Azari, rejected the accusations and said the timing of the claims raised questions about their intent.
“If it’s conspicuous, the timing of this, it’s because it’s just no coincidence that this is now being done as a political hit job on the eve of, you know, a governor run in California where he was leading the race,” Azari said during an interview on NewsNation’s “CUOMO.”
Azari also urged the public not to reach conclusions before the legal process unfolds.
“It doesn’t matter what you like, whether you’re disgusted, whether you don’t like it, whether you think it’s immoral. None of that matters. What matters is whether or not this is true,” she added. “And I’m here to tell you it’s not.”
Swalwell resigned from Congress earlier this week and withdrew from the California governor’s race shortly before submitting his resignation letter.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me,” Swalwell wrote in his resignation letter.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation setting Aug. 18 as the date for a special election to fill the congressional seat left vacant by Swalwell’s resignation.
“I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim and order that a special election shall be held on the 18th day of August 2026, within the 14th Congressional District of the State, to fill the vacancy in the office of the U.S. House of Representatives from said district resulting from the resignation of Representative Eric Swalwell,” the proclamation states.
FBI Director Kash Patel said individuals with information related to the allegations are encouraged to come forward.
“The door is open to all” who may have information, including Swalwell himself, Patel wrote on X.
No Pensions for Congressional Predators Act proposed by Sen. Josh Hawley is a great idea, but sad to say with the way our government works, it has the same chance of surviving as a snowball as in hell has.
That’s a good start, not that it will happen. None of them should be getting a pension. This job is not intended to be a career. Although, on second thought, they’re all predators when you take into account the insider trading as well as buying/getting sex with their power position. So, maybe instead of legislation that nobody intends to pass, we should hold a public referendum, dissolve their pension system, and put the money into the social security fund to replace what they have stolen from it. Just sayin.