IV
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 66
To amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to ban gifts, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 8, 1995
Mrs. SMITH of Washington (for herself, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. FOX of Penn-
sylvania, Mr. CHRYSLER, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. HOSTETTLER,
and Mr. METCALF) submitted the following resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and, in addi-
tion, to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
RESOLUTION
To amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to
ban gifts, and for other purposes.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Clean Govern-
ment Resolution of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. GIFT BAN.
Clause 4 of Rule XLIII of the Rules of the House
of Representatives is amended to read as follows:
•HRES 66 IH
‘‘4. (a)(1) No Member, officer, or employee may ac-
cept a gift, whether made directly or indirectly, from any-
one.
‘‘(2) For purposes of this Rule, the following are not
defined gifts subject to the prohibition in subparagraph
(1):
‘‘(A) Gifts from a relative, including a fiancee.
‘‘(B) A gift given by an individual which is mo-
tivated by a personal friendship rather than the po-
sition of the Member, officer, or employee. In deter-
mining if a gift is motivated by a personal friend-
ship, the history of the relationship shall be consid-
ered and whether the gift giver personally paid for
the gift. If the gift exceeds $250, the Committee on
Standards of Official Conduct must grant a waiver.
‘‘(C) Gifts of personal hospitality from an indi-
vidual, not a corporation or organization, for a non-
business purpose on facilities owned by that individ-
ual or the individual’s family.
‘‘(D) Anything for which the recipient pays the
market value or does not use and promptly returns
to the donor.
‘‘(E) Items of little intrinsic value.
‘‘(F) Bequests, inheritances, and other trans-
fers at death.
•HRES 66 IH
‘‘(N) Opportunities and benefits offered to
members of a group or class in which membership
is unrelated to Congressional employment.
‘‘(O) Opportunities and benefits based on out-
side business or employment activities which it is
clear that such opportunities and benefits have not
been offered or enhanced because of a Member’s, of-
ficer’s, or employee’s official status.
‘‘(b)(1) No Member, officer or employee may accept
payment or reimbursement for meals or entertainment.
‘‘(2) For purposes of this Rule, the following are not
meals or entertainment subject to the prohibition in sub-
paragraph (1):
‘‘(A) Meals and entertainment provided by a
relative, including a fiancee.
‘‘(B) Meals or entertainment or both from a
friend, given under circumstances which make it
clear that the meal or entertainment is provided
based on a personal friendship rather than the posi-
tion of the Member, officer, or employee. Relevant
factors in making such a determination include the
history of the relationship and whether the friend
personally pays for the meal or entertainment.
‘‘(C) Meals, food, and entertainment provided
at widely attended gatherings, including conventions,
•HRES 66 IH
charity events, conferences, symposiums, retreats,
dinners, receptions, viewings, or similar events if the
meals, food, and entertainment are not solicited by
the Member, officer, or employee.
‘‘(c)(1) No Member, officer, or employee may accept
payment or reimbursement for travel expenses (including
associated transportation, lodging, or entertainment) from
anyone (including a foreign government in a foreign coun-
try) unless such travel expenses were paid by a relative
or personal friend.’’.
SEC. 3. SANCTION.
Clause 4(e)(1)(B) of Rule X of the Rules of the
House of Representatives is amended by inserting before
the semicolon the following: ‘‘except that if a Member, offi-
cer, or employee violated clause 4 of Rule XLIII, such
Member, officer, or employee shall be subject to discipli-
nary action by the committee, including a fine of a value
not less than the value of the gift, meals, food, and enter-
tainment, or travel expenses received in violation of such
clause and of a value not to exceed three times the value
of such gift, meals, food, and entertainment, or travel
expenses’’.
Æ