Bill Overview
Title: Congress LEADS Act
Description: This bill prohibits a Member of Congress who is convicted of sexual abuse from collecting a retirement annuity under either the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System.
Sponsors: Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]
Target Audience
Population: Members of Congress who are convicted of sexual abuse
Estimated Size: 10
- The bill specifically targets Members of Congress who are convicted of sexual abuse.
- It only impacts those within the U.S. Congress, so it is a national legislation.
- The legislation would affect only those who are both convicted of sexual abuse and eligible for employment annuity in the retirement systems mentioned.
- This bill is focused on members who might be looking to access retirement benefits under specific federal retirement systems, which means it impacts a small and specific population.
Reasoning
- The policy targets a very specific and small group of individuals - those who are U.S. Members of Congress convicted of sexual abuse and eligible for a federal retirement annuity. This means the general public is largely untouched except indirectly in terms of justice perception.
- Given the rarity of such convictions, operationally, the policy's budget will mainly cover administrative and legislative costs, potentially leading to indirect costs associated with the justice system.
- To understand the impact, opinions from a broader population including former staff members, the general voting public, and victims of sexual abuse are considered to provide insights on societal impact.
Simulated Interviews
Retired Federal Employee (California)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe the policy is necessary to hold leaders accountable.
- It may serve as a deterrent for other members.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Congressional Ethics Advisor (New York)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a step in the right direction for congressional accountability.
- I'm not sure how much practical impact it will have given the rarity of such cases.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Lobbyist (Washington D.C.)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is mostly symbolic, as affected individuals are rare.
- It reinforces trust in governance, though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Non-profit Worker (Illinois)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a positive move socially.
- I hope it encourages more systemic change beyond Congress.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Journalist (Florida)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's an overdue change.
- I wonder why such a law wasn't in place before?
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Law Student (Texas)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Symbolically important in regulatory policies.
- Limited practical impact but progressive step.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
School Teacher (Georgia)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a helpful change for public trust.
- Hope it improves long-term political integrity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
HR Professional (Nevada)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Justice needs to be comprehensive and affect all areas, including benefits.
- It's a logical addition to disciplinary actions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retired Congressman (Virginia)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There are worse behaviors in Congress that should probably also lead to similar penalties.
- Reducing perks for criminals seems fair.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College Student (Ohio)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Honestly, this feels like a PR move by Congress.
- But it's still a win for ethical accountability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000 (Low: $5000, High: $15000)
Year 2: $10000 (Low: $5000, High: $15000)
Year 3: $10000 (Low: $5000, High: $15000)
Year 5: $10000 (Low: $5000, High: $15000)
Year 10: $10000 (Low: $5000, High: $15000)
Year 100: $10000 (Low: $5000, High: $15000)
Key Considerations
- The potentially low number of Congress members convicted of sexual abuse impacts the scale of cost and savings.
- The deterrent effect on misconduct among Congressional members, while indirect, could reflect positively in governance.
- Administrative costs are minimal due to the narrow application of the bill.
- Legal challenges might arise related to the timing of convictions and retirement eligibility, impacting enforcement.