Top bureaucrat lobbyists say it's 'punitive' to fire failed program executives

A professional association for high-level career federal employees opposes a proposal to limit the government retirement pensions of Department of Veterans Affairs executives if they are convicted of a crime in connection with their duties.

The proposal by House Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller would reduce pensions if a top executive was convicted of a felony that “influenced the individual’s performance” at the VA. The Senior Executives Association said doing that might unfairly intrude on the personal lives of federal workers whose felony convictions were unrelated to their job performance.