IV
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 424
Requiring members, officers, and employees of the House of Representatives
to submit reports on travel to the Clerk of the House which include
information on the source of funds used to pay for such travel, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 7, 1998
Mr. HAMILTON (for himself, Mr. COX of California, Mr. VISCLOSKY, and Mr.
CAMPBELL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on House Oversight, and in addition to the Committee on
Rules, 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
RESOLUTION
Requiring members, officers, and employees of the House
of Representatives to submit reports on travel to the
Clerk of the House which include information on the
source of funds used to pay for such travel, and for
other purposes.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Comprehensive
Travel Reform Rule of 1998’’.
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posing wasteful programs at home and abroad.
Firsthand experience has inspired Members to im-
prove the safety and quality of life of United States
military and civilian personnel serving abroad. Mem-
bers have frequently promoted United States inter-
ests by calling attention to human rights abuses or
environmental dangers during their travel.
(4) Travel by Members improves foreign under-
standing of the views of Congress, as well as of the
unique and important role Congress plays in formu-
lating United States policy. Members who do not
represent the administration directly are often able
to say things that United States diplomats cannot.
Congressional travel builds important personal rela-
tionships with United States allies, and inter-
parliamentary exchanges promote democracy by en-
couraging foreign legislators.
(5) Members should share their travel experi-
ences with the House and the general public. When-
ever possible, these statements should include policy
recommendations based on such travel.
(6) Abuses of foreign and domestic travel waste
taxpayer dollars, increase the influence of special in-
terests, and undermine public confidence in Con-
gress. Abuses discourage Members from taking im-
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portant, legitimate travel and diminish the ability of
Congress to act effectively in many areas.
(7) Congress has a responsibility to try to elimi-
nate all abuses of travel, while also encouraging
Members to take travel that enhances the ability of
Congress to advance the interests of the United
States.
(8) Members have a personal responsibility to
ensure that their travel not only complies with de-
tailed travel rules but reflects creditably on the
House of Representatives (Rule XLIII.1).
(9) Each Member should endeavor to travel on
a periodic basis to inspect important government ac-
tivities at home and abroad.
SEC. 3. REQUIRING REPORTS ON TRAVEL.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each Member, officer, and em-
ployee of the House of Representatives shall submit to the
Clerk of the House of Representatives a report on the fol-
lowing categories of travel undertaken by the Member, of-
ficer, or employee:
(1) Travel for which payment is made from the
Members’ representational allowance or from the ac-
counts of a committee or other office of the House,
other than travel undertaken by a Member (or by an
employee of the Member or an employee of a com-
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mittee on which the Member is the chair or ranking
minority member) between the district the Member
represents and the District of Columbia.
(2) Travel within a foreign country for which
payment is made by the government of a foreign
country.
(3) Travel in support of the official business of
the Member, officer, or employee for which payment
is made from any source not described in paragraph
(1) or (2).
(b) INFORMATION CONTAINED IN REPORT.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each report submitted
under subsection (a) shall contain the following in-
formation:
(A) An identification of the individual or
entity paying for the travel described in the re-
port.
(B) A substantive report on the relation of
the travel to the official business of the House,
including findings and recommendations. Indi-
viduals traveling in groups may submit a joint
report, which may include separate minority or
additional views. Each report submitted under
this subparagraph shall include a detailed
itinerary of all meetings, interviews, inspection
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tours, and other official functions in which the
individual involved participated, except that the
Clerk may withhold from publication certain in-
formation contained in the report if the individ-
ual certifies that disclosure of the information
would—
(i) be detrimental to the national se-
curity interests of the United States;
(ii) pose a threat of harm or reprisal
to an individual or group;
(iii) endanger the confidentiality of
sources or methods of intelligence or law
enforcement operation or activity; or
(iv) compromise or hamper a commit-
tee investigation or oversight function.
(C) In the case of travel described in sub-
section (a)(3) for which transportation is pro-
vided by the Department of Defense, an esti-
mate of the amount which would have been paid
if the transportation had been provided through
commercial sources.
(D) In the case of travel described in sub-
section (a)(2), an estimate of the expenses in-
curred for which payment was made by the for-
eign government involved.
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(E) In the case of travel described in sub-
section (a)(3) (other than travel for which pay-
ment is made by the Federal Government),
such information as the Member, officer, or em-
ployee may reasonably ascertain on the source
of the funds used by the individual or entity to
pay for the travel (together with any informa-
tion required under paragraph (2)).
(2) SPECIFIC
INFORMATION
REQUIRED
FOR
TRAVEL PAID FOR BY CERTAIN NONPROFIT ORGANI-
ZATIONS.—In the case of travel described in sub-
section (a)(3) which is paid for (in whole or in part)
by an organization exempt from Federal tax under
section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Reve-
nue Code of 1986, the Member, officer, or employee
shall include in the report submitted under sub-
section (a)—
(A) a copy of the form filed by the organi-
zation with the Internal Revenue Service which
summarizes the organization’s contributions
and expenditures; and
(B) a copy of the schedule of contributions
filed by the organization with the Internal Rev-
enue Service which lists all contributions of
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$5,000 or more received by the organization
during a taxable year.
(c) DEADLINE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Member, officer, or em-
ployee shall submit the report required under this
section not later than 30 days after the completion
of the travel involved.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(A) COMMITTEE
TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—
Clause 2(n)(1)(B) of rule XI of the Rules of the
House of Representatives is amended by strik-
ing the second sentence.
(B) GIFT BAN.—Clause 2(a)(1)(B) of rule
LI of the Rules of the House of Representatives
is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(B) meets the applicable reporting require-
ments with respect to the expenses under the rules
of the House of Representatives.’’.
(d) REPORTS TO COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF OF-
FICIAL CONDUCT ON LATE FILINGS.—The Clerk shall no-
tify the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of
any Member, officer, or employee who submits a report
required under this section after the expiration of the ap-
plicable deadline, or who submits a report which otherwise
fails to meet the requirements of this section.
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(e) MEMBER DEFINED.—In this section, the term
‘‘Member’’ includes any Resident Commissioner or Dele-
gate to the Congress.
SEC. 4. COMPILATION AND PUBLICATION OF REPORTS ON
TRAVEL.
(a) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Not later than 45 days
after the end of each calendar quarter, the Clerk of the
House of Representatives shall compile all reports submit-
ted under section 3 for the quarter and submit such com-
pilation for publication in the Congressional Record.
(b) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 90 days after
the end of each session of a Congress, the Clerk of the
House of Representatives, in consultation with the Com-
mittee on House Oversight, shall publish a report contain-
ing the following information:
(1) A summary of the total amount of travel
described in section 3(a) which is undertaken by
Members, officers, and employees of the House dur-
ing the session, including the total amount expended
for travel described in paragraph (1) of such section
and the percentage such total amount represents of
all expenditures of the House during the session.
(2) A summary of the foreign travel described
in section 3(a) which is undertaken by Members, of-
ficers, and employees during the session.
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(c) REQUIRING POSTING OF REPORTS ON INTER-
NET.—The compilation of reports required under sub-
section (a) and the reports published under subsection (b)
shall be posted on the Internet upon completion in a man-
ner that permits any member of the public to obtain such
compilation and report at any time. For purposes of this
subsection, the term ‘‘Internet’’ means the international
computer network of both Federal and non-Federal inter-
operable packet-switched data networks.
SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRAVEL.
(a) LIMITATION ON AMOUNT EXPENDED ON TRAVEL
PAID BY PRIVATE SOURCES.—No Member, officer, or em-
ployee of the House of Representatives may accept any
travel described in section 3(a)(3) for which—
(1) first class airfare is provided; or
(2) the total costs of meals and lodging exceed
the amount of the maximum per diem rate set forth
in applicable Federal law for other employees of the
Federal Government.
(b) RESTRICTIONS ON PRIVATELY-FUNDED GIFTS
FOR SPOUSE
OR FAMILY MEMBER TRAVEL.—Clause
2(d)(4) of rule LI of the Rules of the House of Represent-
atives is amended by striking the period at the end and
inserting the following: ‘‘, but only if the travel is not of-
fered or enhanced because of the official position of the
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Member, officer, or employee and is customarily provided
to others in similar circumstances.’’.
(c) CLARIFICATION OF PER DIEM LIMIT APPLICABLE
TO COMMITTEE TRAVEL.—Clause 2(n)(1)(A) of rule XI
of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended
by striking ‘‘applicable Federal law’’ and inserting ‘‘appli-
cable Federal law for employees of the Federal Govern-
ment who are not Members, officers, or employees of the
House of Representatives’’.
(d) REQUIRING
ADVANCE
AUTHORIZATION
FOR
COSTS EXCEEDING PUBLISHED PER DIEM RATES FOR
OTHER
FEDERAL
EMPLOYEES.—Notwithstanding any
other rule or regulation of the House of Representatives,
the total amount which may be expended for travel de-
scribed in section 3(a) by a Member, officer, or employee
of the House of Representatives on a day may not exceed
the published per diem rate applicable for employees of
the Federal Government who are not Members, officers,
or employees of the House of Representatives unless the
Member or officer involved authorizes the expenditure of
a greater amount prior to the occurrence of the travel.
(e) REQUIRING ADVANCE AUTHORIZATION FOR ALL
OFFICIAL TRAVEL PAID BY PRIVATE SOURCES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—No Member, officer, or em-
ployee of the House of Representatives may accept
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any travel described in section 3(a)(3) (other than
travel for which payment is made by the Federal
Government) unless the Committee on Standards of
Official Conduct has authorized the acceptance of
the travel prior to the commencement of the travel.
(2) SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AUTHORIZA-
TION FOR EMPLOYEE TRAVEL.—In the case of travel
of an employee, the advance authorization required
under paragraph (1) shall include—
(A) the name of the employee;
(B) the name of the person who will reim-
burse the employee for the travel;
(C) the time, place, and purpose of the
travel; and
(D) a determination that the travel is in
connection with the duties of the employee as
an officeholder and would not create the ap-
pearance that the employee is using public of-
fice for private gain.
(3) STANDARDS FOR REVIEW.—In determining
whether to authorize a Member, officer, or employee
to accept travel under paragraph (1), the Committee
on Standards of Official Conduct shall examine—
(A) whether the person paying for the
travel has a direct interest in any Federal legis-
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lation and (if so) whether the acceptance of the
travel will have an adverse impact on the integ-
rity of the legislative process, taking into con-
sideration public perceptions; and
(B) whether the acceptance of the travel is
prohibited under this resolution (or the amend-
ments made by this resolution) or is otherwise
prohibited under the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
(4) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT
RELATING
TO
GIFT BAN.—Clause 2 of rule LI of the Rules of the
House of Representatives is amended—
(A) by amending paragraph (a)(1)(A) to
read as follows:
‘‘(A) meets the applicable requirements for ad-
vance authorization under the rules of the House of
Representatives, and’’; and
(B) by striking paragraph (b).
SEC. 6. REGULATIONS.
Not later than 90 days after the adoption of this reso-
lution, the Committee on House Oversight, in consultation
with the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct,
shall issue regulations to carry out this resolution, to-
gether with guidelines for activities undertaken by Mem-
bers, officers, and employees while on official travel, in-
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cluding recommendations on the appropriate balance of
time spent on official and non-official business and on ap-
propriate meetings and activities while traveling in foreign
nations.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This resolution shall apply with respect to calendar
quarters beginning after the expiration of the 30-day pe-
riod which begins on the date of the adoption of this reso-
lution, except that the requirement that a Member, officer,
or employee of the House of Representatives file the infor-
mation described in section 3(b)(2)(B) shall apply with re-
spect to calendar quarters beginning after the first taxable
year which begins after the date of the adoption of this
resolution.
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