I

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3792

To restore integrity, goodwill, honesty, and trust to Congress.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 11, 1996

Mr. BASS (for himself, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CHRYSLER, Mr. COBLE, Mr. COBURN, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr.

LONGLEY, Mr. NEUMANN, Mr. RADANOVICH, Ms. RIVERS, Mr. SHAYS,

and Mr. TATE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on House Oversight, and in addition to the Committees on

Government Reform and Oversight, Rules, National Security, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To restore integrity, goodwill, honesty, and trust to Congress.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘R.I.G.H.T. Congress

5 Act’’.
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1 TITLE I—CONGRESSIONAL

2 COMPENSATION

3 SEC. 101. ACCRUAL RATES FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

4 AND CONGRESSIONAL EMPLOYEES UNDER

5 CSRS AND FERS.

6 (a) CSRS.—

7 (1) MEMBERS.—

8 (A) IN GENERAL.—Section 8339(c) of title

9 5, United States Code, is amended by striking

10 all that follows ‘‘with respect to—’’ and insert11 ing the following:

12 ‘‘(1) so much of his service as a Member as was

13 performed before the beginning of the One Hundred

14 Fifth Congress;

15 ‘‘(2) so much of his military service as—

16 ‘‘(A) is creditable for the purpose of this

17 subsection; and

18 ‘‘(B) was performed before the beginning

19 of such Congress; and

20 ‘‘(3) so much of his Congressional employee

21 service as was performed before the beginning of

22 such Congress;

by multiplying 21 23 ⁄2 percent of his average pay by the years

24 of that service.’’.
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1 (B) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section

2 8332(d) of title 5, United States Code, is

3 amended by striking ‘‘section 8339(c)(1)’’ and

4 inserting ‘‘section 8339(c)’’.

5 (2) CONGRESSIONAL EMPLOYEES.—Section

6 8339(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amend7 ed—

8 (A) by inserting ‘‘so much of’’ after ‘‘is

9 computed with respect to’’; and

10 (B) by inserting ‘‘as was performed before

11 the beginning of the One Hundred Fifth Con12 gress,’’ before ‘‘by multiplying’’.

13 (3) CAPITOL POLICE.—Section 8339(q) of title

14 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘in

15 acccordance with subsection (b),’’ and inserting ‘‘in

16 accordance with subsection (b) (disregarding the

17 amendments made by section 101(a)(2) of the

18 R.I.G.H.T. Congress Act),’’.

19 (b) FERS.—

20 (1) MEMBERS.—Section 8415(b) of title 5,

21 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘shall’’

22 and inserting ‘‘shall, to the extent that such service

23 was performed before the beginning of the One Hun24 dred Fifth Congress,’’.
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1 (2) CONGRESSIONAL EMPLOYEES.—Section

2 8415(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended

3 by striking ‘‘shall’’ and inserting ‘‘shall, to the ex4 tent that such service was performed before the be5 ginning of the One Hundred Fifth Congress,’’.

6 (3) PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE 1.1 PER7 CENT ACCRUAL RATE.—Section 8415(g) of title 5,

8 United States Code, is amended—

9 (A) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘an em10 ployee under paragraph (2),’’ and inserting ‘‘an

11 employee or Member under paragraph (2),’’;

12 (B) in paragraph (2) by inserting ‘‘or

13 Member’’ after ‘‘in the case of an employee’’

14 and by striking ‘‘Congressional employee,’’; and

15 (C) by adding at the end the following:

16 ‘‘(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this sub17 section—

18 ‘‘(A) this subsection shall not apply in the case

19 of a Member or Congressional employee whose sepa20 ration (on which entitlement to annuity is based) oc21 curs before the beginning of the One Hundred Fifth

22 Congress; and

23 ‘‘(B) in the case of a Member or Congressional

24 employee to whom this subsection applies, the 1.1

25 percent accrual rate shall apply only with respect to
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1 any period of service other than a period with re2 spect to which the 1.7 percent accrual rate applies

3 under subsection (b) or (c).’’.

4 SEC. 102. ELIMINATION OF AUTOMATIC ANNUITY ADJUST5 MENTS FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

6 The portion of anuity of a Member of Congress which

7 is based solely on service as a Member of Congress shall

8 not be subject to a COLA adjustment under section 8340

9 or 8462 of title 5, United States Code.

10 SEC. 103. ELIMINATION OF AUTOMATIC PAY ADJUSTMENTS

11 FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS; RECORDED

12 VOTE REQUIRED ON ANY PAY ADJUSTMENT

13 FOR MEMBERS.

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 601(a) of the Legislative

15 Reorganization Act of 1946 is amended to read as follows:

16 ‘‘SEC. 601. (a)(1) Until otherwise provided under sec17 tion 225 of the Federal Salary Act of 1967 (2 U.S.C. 351

18 and following) or any other provision of law, the annual

19 rate of pay for—

20 ‘‘(A) each Senator, Member of the House of

21 Representatives, and Delegate to the House of Rep22 resentatives, and the Resident Commissioner from

23 Puerto Rico,

24 ‘‘(B) the President pro tempore of the Senate,

25 the majority leader and the minority leader of the
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1 Senate, and the majority leader and the minority

2 leader of the House of Representatives, and

3 ‘‘(C) the Speaker of the House of Representa4 tives,

5 shall be the rate payable for each such office or position

6 on the date of the enactment of the R.I.G.H.T. Congress

7 Act.

8 ‘‘(2)(A) Any bill or resolution, and any amendment

9 to any bill or resolution, that provides for any adjustment

10 in the amount of pay payable for any office or position

11 referred to in paragraph (1) may be adopted by the House

12 of Representatives only by a vote recorded so as to reflect

13 the vote of each Member voting.

14 ‘‘(B) The provisions of subparagraph (A) are en15 acted—

16 ‘‘(i) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of

17 the House of Representatives and, as such, they

18 shall be considered as part of the rules of the House,

19 and such rule shall supersede other rules only to the

20 extent inconsistent therewith; and

21 ‘‘(ii) with full recognition of the constitutional

22 right of the House to change such rule at any time,

23 in the same manner, and to the same extent as in

24 the case of any other rule of the House.
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1 ‘‘(C) This paragraph shall not apply with respect to

2 any recommendations which are subject section 225(i) of

3 the Federal Salary Act of 1967.’’.

4 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect

5 on the day after the date of the first election of Represent6 atives (within the meaning of the 27th article of amend7 ment to the Constitution of the United States) occurring

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act.

9 TITLE II—LOBBYING

10 SEC. 201. LOBBYING RESTRICTIONS FOR FORMER MEM11 BERS OF CONGRESS AND STAFF.

12 (a) TIME LIMIT.—Section 207(e) of title 18, United

13 States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘1 year’’ in para14 graphs (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) and inserting ‘‘2 years’’.

15 (b) COMMITTEE STAFF.—Section 207(e)(2)(B) of

16 title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘and’’

17 at the end of clause (i), by striking the period at the end

18 of clause (ii) and inserting ‘‘; and’’ and by adding after

19 clause (ii) the following:

20 ‘‘(iii) any employee of a committee of Congress

21 of which such Senator or Member was a member.’’.

22 (c) SPECIAL LIMITATION.—Section 207(e)(6) of title

23 18, United States Code, is amended—

24 (1) by striking ‘‘(A)’’ and subparagraph (B);
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1 (2) by striking ‘‘and (4)’’ and inserting ‘‘(4),

2 and (5)’’; and

3 (3) by striking ‘‘75 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘50

4 percent’’.

5 SEC. 202. DENIAL OF FLOOR PRIVILEGES TO FORMER MEM6 BERS OF CONGRESS WHO ARE REGISTERED

7 LOBBYISTS.

8 (a) HOUSE FLOOR PRIVILEGES.—Clause 3 of rule

9 XXXII of the Rules of the House of Representatives is

10 amended by striking ‘‘and only ’’ and inserting ‘‘, only’’,

11 and by inserting ‘‘, and only if they are not registered lob12 byists under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995’’ before

13 the period at the end.

14 (b) ADDITIONAL PRIVILEGES.—(1) No former Mem15 ber of Congress who is a registered lobbyist under the

16 Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 may enter any dining

17 area in the Capital which is reserved for Members of Con18 gress or enter any gymnasium facility which is reserved

19 for Members of Congress.

20 (2) The Committee on House Oversight of the House

21 of Representatives shall have authority to prescribe regu22 lations to carry out this subsection.
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1 SEC. 203. REQUIRING IDENTIFICATION FOR REGISTERED

2 LOBBYISTS.

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4 of the Lobbying Disclo4 sure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603) is amended by adding

5 at the end the following new subsection:

6 ‘‘(e) IDENTIFICATION FOR REGISTERED LOBBY7 ISTS.—Each person required to register under this section

8 shall wear, in a visible manner, an identification badge

9 similar to the identification badge required for persons

10 who use the press gallery of the House of Representatives

11 or the Senate. The form of such identification shall be pre12 scribed by the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Rep13 resentatives and the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate act14 ing jointly and shall be worn when such registered person

15 is in the United States Capitol or in an office building

16 of the House of Representatives or the Senate while en17 gaged in lobbying activities. When a person registers

18 under subsection (a), such person shall be given such a

19 badge.’’.

20 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (a) shall take ef21 fect with respect to registrations under section 4 of the

22 Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 which occur after the

23 expiration of the 60-day period which begins on the date

24 of the enactment of this Act.
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1 TITLE III—CONGRESSIONAL

2 TRAVEL

3 SEC. 301. LIMITATION ON TRANSPORTATION OF MEMBERS

4 OF CONGRESS ON MILITARY AIRCRAFT.

5 (a) LIMITATION ON TRANSPORTATION.—

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 157 of title 10,

7 United States Code, is amended by adding at the

8 end the following new section:

9 ‘‘§ 2643. Limitation on transportation of Members of

10 Congress on military aircraft

11 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may

12 not provide transportation on a military aircraft to a des13 tination for a Member or group of Members of Congress

14 unless—

15 ‘‘(1) the transportation is provided on a space16 available basis as part of the scheduled operations of

17 the military aircraft unrelated to the provision of

18 transportation to the Member or group of Members;

19 ‘‘(2) the destination, or an airfield located with20 in a reasonable distance from the destination, is not

21 accessible by regularly scheduled flights of commer22 cial aircraft; or

23 ‘‘(3) the transportation is the least expensive

24 method for the Member or group of Members to

25 reach the destination by aircraft.
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1 ‘‘(b) SPECIAL RULE FOR MEMBERS AND STAFF

2 TRAVELLING TO A HEARING.—The Secretary may not

3 provide transportation on a military aircraft for a Member

4 or group of Members of Congress or the staff of the Mem5 ber or group of Members for travel to a hearing of a Com6 mittee of Congress unless the transportation meets the re7 quirement in subsection (a)(3).

8 ‘‘(c) DESTINATION.—The Secretary shall not select

9 the destination of a military aircraft to accommodate the

10 travel plans of a Member or group of Members of Con11 gress requesting transportation that meets the require12 ment in subsection (a)(1).’’.

13 ‘‘(d) MEMBER OF CONGRESS DEFINED.—In this sec14 tion, the term ‘Member of Congress’ means a Senator or

15 Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commis16 sioner to, the Congress.’’.

17 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of

18 sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended

19 by adding at the end the following new item:

‘‘2643. Limitation on transportation of Members of Congress on military aircraft.’’.

20 (b) PRIOR APPROVAL REQUIREMENT FOR MEMBERS

21 AND STAFF TRAVELLING TO A HEARING.—A Member or

22 group of Members of the House of Representatives or the

23 staff of such Member or group of Members may not accept

24 transportation on a military aircraft for travel to a hearing
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1 of a committee of Congress until the chairman of the com2 mittee of Congress—

3 (1) submits information to the Committee on

4 Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Rep5 resentatives demonstrating that the transportation is

6 the least expensive method for the Member or group

7 of Members or staff to travel to the hearing by air8 craft; and

9 (2) receives approval from the Committee on

10 Standards of Official Conduct for the Member or

11 group of Members or staff to accept the transpor12 tation.

13 SEC. 302. RESTRICTION ON FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS

14 NOT SEEKING REELECTION.

15 The Rules of the House of Representatives are

16 amended by adding at the end the following new rule:

17 ‘‘RULE LIII.

18 ‘‘RESTRICTION ON FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS NOT

19 SEEKING REELECTION.

20 ‘‘1. A retiring Member, or such Member’s personal

21 staff, shall not engage in travel outside the United States

22 pursuant to clause 8 of rule I, clause 2(n) or 5(e) of rule

23 XI, or section 502(b) of the Mutual Security Act of 1954

24 (22 U.S.C. 1754), unless the Committee on Standards of
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1 Official Conduct determines such travel is essential to the

2 official responsibilities of the retiring member.

3 ‘‘2. As used in this rule—

4 ‘‘(1) a Member is a retiring Member after the

5 earlier of the date upon which the Member—

6 ‘‘(A) announces to the press the intention

7 not to seek election to the House of Representa8 tives for the succeeding Congress;

9 ‘‘(B) fails to meet the qualifying deadline

10 for election to the House of Representatives for

11 the succeeding Congress; or

12 ‘‘(C) is defeated in any primary or general

13 election to the House of Representatives for the

14 succeeding Congress; and

15 ‘‘(1) the term ‘Member’ means a Representative

16 in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the

17 House of Representatives.’’.

18 SEC. 303. LIMITATION ON USE OF TRAVEL AWARDS.

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Except as provided by para20 graph (2) and notwithstanding any provision of law or any

21 rule, regulation, or other authority, any travel award that

22 accrues by reason of official travel of a Member, officer,

23 or employee of the House of Representatives may be used

24 only with respect to official travel.
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1 (2) Any travel award that accrues by reason of offi2 cial travel of a Member of the House of Representatives

3 may be used by the spouse or children of that Member

4 for travel between Washington, D.C., and the district of

5 that Member.

6 (b) REGULATIONS.—The Committee on House Over7 sight of the House of Representatives shall have authority

8 to prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

9 (c) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section—

10 (1) the term ‘‘Member of the House of Rep11 resentatives’’ means a Representative in, or a

12 Delgate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress;

13 (2) the term ‘‘offical travel’’ means, with re14 spect to the House of Representatives, travel per15 formed for the conduct of official business of the

16 House of Representatives, including official and rep17 resentational duties of a Member relating to the dis18 trict of the Member; and

19 (3) the term ‘‘travel award’’ means any fre20 quent flier mileage, free travel, discounted travel, or

21 other travel benefit, whether awarded by coupon,

22 membership, or otherwise.

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