H. Res. 250
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
November 16, 1995.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT TO HOUSE RULES.
Rule LII of the Rules of the House of Representatives
is amended to read as follows:
‘‘RULE LII
‘‘GIFT RULE
‘‘1. (a) No Member, officer, or employee of the House
of Representatives shall knowingly accept a gift except as
provided in this rule.
‘‘(b)(1) For the purpose of this rule, the term ‘gift’
means any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospi-
tality, loan, forbearance, or other item having monetary
value. The term includes gifts of services, training, transpor-
tation, lodging, and meals, whether provided in kind, by pur-
chase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement
after the expense has been incurred.
‘‘(2)(A) A gift to a family member of a Member, officer,
or employee, or a gift to any other individual based on that
•HRES 250 EH
individual’s relationship with the Member, officer, or em-
ployee, shall be considered a gift to the Member, officer, or
employee if it is given with the knowledge and acquiescence
of the Member, officer, or employee and the Member, officer,
or employee has reason to believe the gift was given because
of the official position of the Member, officer, or employee.
‘‘(B) If food or refreshment is provided at the same time
and place to both a Member, officer, or employee and the
spouse or dependent thereof, only the food or refreshment
provided to the Member, officer, or employee shall be treated
as a gift for purposes of this rule.
‘‘(c) The restrictions in paragraph (a) shall not apply to
the following:
‘‘(1) Anything for which the Member, officer, or
employee pays the market value, or does not use and
promptly returns to the donor.
‘‘(2) A contribution, as defined in section 301(8) of
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
431 et seq.) that is lawfully made under that Act, a law-
ful contribution for election to a State or local govern-
ment office, or attendance at a fundraising event spon-
sored by a political organization described in section
527(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
•HRES 250 EH
‘‘(3) A gift from a relative as described in section
109(16) of title I of the Ethics in Government Act of
1978 (Public Law 95–521).
‘‘(4)(A) Anything provided by an individual on the
basis of a personal friendship unless the Member, officer,
or employee has reason to believe that, under the cir-
cumstances, the gift was provided because of the official
position of the Member, officer, or employee and not be-
cause of the personal friendship.
‘‘(B) In determining whether a gift is provided on
the basis of personal friendship, the Member, officer, or
employee shall consider the circumstances under which
the gift was offered, such as:
‘‘(i) The history of the relationship between the
individual giving the gift and the recipient of the
gift, including any previous exchange of gifts be-
tween such individuals.
‘‘(ii) Whether to the actual knowledge of the
Member, officer, or employee the individual who
gave the gift personally paid for the gift or sought
a tax deduction or business reimbursement for the
gift.
‘‘(iii) Whether to the actual knowledge of the
Member, officer, or employee the individual who
gave the gift also at the same time gave the same
•HRES 250 EH
or similar gifts to other Members, officers, or em-
ployees.
‘‘(5) Except as provided in clause 3(c), a contribu-
tion or other payment to a legal expense fund estab-
lished for the benefit of a Member, officer, or employee
that is otherwise lawfully made in accordance with the
restrictions and disclosure requirements of the Commit-
tee on Standards of Official Conduct.
‘‘(6) Any gift from another Member, officer, or em-
ployee of the Senate or the House of Representatives.
‘‘(7) Food, refreshments, lodging, transportation,
and other benefits—
‘‘(A) resulting from the outside business or em-
ployment activities (or other outside activities that
are not connected to the duties of the Member, offi-
cer, or employee as an officeholder) of the Member,
officer, or employee, or the spouse of the Member,
officer, or employee, if such benefits have not been
offered or enhanced because of the official position
of the Member, officer, or employee and are cus-
tomarily 
provided 
to 
others 
in 
similar 
cir-
cumstances;
‘‘(B) customarily provided by a prospective em-
ployer in connection with bona fide employment dis-
cussions; or
•HRES 250 EH
‘‘(C) provided by a political organization de-
scribed in section 527(e) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 in connection with a fundraising or
campaign event sponsored by such an organization.
‘‘(8) Pension and other benefits resulting from con-
tinued participation in an employee welfare and benefits
plan maintained by a former employer.
‘‘(9) Informational materials that are sent to the of-
fice of the Member, officer, or employee in the form of
books, articles, periodicals, other written materials,
audiotapes, videotapes, or other forms of communication.
‘‘(10) Awards or prizes which are given to competi-
tors in contests or events open to the public, including
random drawings.
‘‘(11) Honorary degrees (and associated travel,
food, refreshments, and entertainment) and other bona
fide, nonmonetary awards presented in recognition of
public service (and associated food, refreshments, and
entertainment provided in the presentation of such de-
grees and awards).
‘‘(12) Training (including food and refreshments
furnished to all attendees as an integral part of the
training) provided to a Member, officer, or employee, if
such training is in the interest of the House of Rep-
resentatives.
•HRES 250 EH
‘‘(13) Bequests, inheritances, and other transfers at
death.
‘‘(14) Any item, the receipt of which is authorized
by the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, the Mutual
Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, or any other
statute.
‘‘(15) Anything which is paid for by the Federal
Government, by a State or local government, or secured
by the Government under a Government contract.
‘‘(16) A gift of personal hospitality (as defined in
section 109(14) of the Ethics in Government Act) of an
individual other than a registered lobbyist or agent of a
foreign principal.
‘‘(17) Free attendance at a widely attended event
permitted pursuant to paragraph (d).
‘‘(18) Opportunities and benefits which are—
‘‘(A) available to the public or to a class con-
sisting of all Federal employees, whether or not re-
stricted on the basis of geographic consideration;
‘‘(B) offered to members of a group or class in
which membership is unrelated to congressional em-
ployment;
‘‘(C) offered to members of an organization,
such as an employees’ association or congressional
credit union, in which membership is related to con-