President Obama on Friday vetoed legislation that would have scaled back the pensions of former presidents, a change that would have affected his own pension when he leaves office early next year.
Obama said he agreed with the bill’s objective, but said the “Presidential Allowance Modernization Act of 2016” included provisions that would have unintentionally hurt government employees who work for former commanders in chief in ways lawmakers probably did not intend.
“It would impose onerous and unreasonable burdens on the offices of former presidents, including by requiring the General Services Administration to immediately terminate salaries and benefits of office employees and to remove furnishings and equipment from offices,” Obama wrote in his veto message.
“My administration will work with the authors of the bill and other leaders in the Congress, in consultation with the offices of former presidents, to explore the best ways to achieve these goals going forward,” Obama said, adding that if his reforms are included, he will a sign a new draft of the bill.
