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Show Notes
The Hiss Act is a federal law established in 1954 that prevents government employees convicted of certain national security crimes from receiving their taxpayer-funded pensions. Named after Alger Hiss, a former official found guilty of perjury regarding espionage, the law was later modified in 1961 to ensure that minor offenses unrelated to state security did not trigger such severe financial penalties. Although a 1972 court ruling restored Hiss’s specific benefits by declaring the law’s retroactive application unconstitutional, the statute remains active and was expanded in 2013 to include Members of Congress. Recent legislative efforts have attempted to further broaden the act to cover other felony convictions, such as child molestation, though reports indicate that few high-ranking officials have actually lost their annuities under these provisions. This overview highlights the ongoing tension between pension forfeiture as a punitive measure and the legal protections afforded to civil servants.