improperly accepted an unsolicited gift. A Member or em-
ployee who promptly consults his Ethics Committee to de-
termine whether acceptance of an unsolicited gift is proper
and who, upon the advice of the Ethics Committee, re-
turns the gift or otherwise disposes of the gift in accord-
ance with this section, will be considered to have complied
with the requirements of this section on his own initiative.
SEC. 6. CHARITABLE DESIGNATION OF OUTSIDE EARNED
INCOME.
Subsection (c) of section 501 of the Ethics in Govern-
ment Act of 1978 is repealed.
SEC. 7. REPEAL OF OLD RULE.
Section 901 of the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 (2
U.S.C. 31–2) is repealed.
SEC. 8. ACCEPTANCE OF TRAVEL AND RELATED EXPENSES
FROM NON-FEDERAL SOURCES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Ethics Committees shall pre-
scribe rules establishing the conditions under which their
respective Houses may accept payment, or authorize a
Member or employee to accept payment on the House’s
behalf, from non-Federal sources for travel, subsistence,
and related expenses with respect to attendance of the
Member or employee (or the spouse of such Member or
employee) at any meeting or similar function relating to
the official duties of the Member or employee. Any cash
payment so accepted shall be credited to the appropriation
applicable to such expenses. In the case of a payment in
kind so accepted, a pro rata reduction shall be made in
any entitlement of the Member or employee to payment
from the Government for such expenses.
(b) RULES.—The rules prescribed pursuant to sub-
section (a) shall—
(1) in the case of a Member, require that the
Ethics Committee approve in advance all travel for
which related expenses are to be reimbursed and
that, in advance of such travel, a Member publish in
the Congressional Record the dates, itinerary, and
purpose of such travel, the identity of the party pro-
viding the reimbursement, and the anticipated value
of the reimbursement;
(2) in the case of an employee of the House of
Representatives or Senate, require that the authoriz-
ing Member approve in advance all travel for which
related expenses are to be reimbursed; and that, in
advance of such travel, the authorizing Member pub-
lish in the Congressional Record the dates, itinerary,
and purpose of such travel, the identity of the party
providing the reimbursement, and the anticipated
value of the reimbursement;
(3) in the case of a person not covered by para-
graph (1) or (2), require that the appropriate super-
visor approve in advance all travel for which related
expenses are to be reimbursed;
(4) condition approval under paragraphs (1),
(2), and (3) on a determination that acceptance of
reimbursement would not cause a reasonable person
with knowledge of all the facts relevant to a particu-
lar case to question the integrity of a Member, the
Congress, or congressional operation; and
(5) prohibit reimbursement for items beyond
those reasonably necessary for the Member or em-
ployee to participate in the event.
Entertainment expenses collateral to an event are not to
be considered reasonably necessary under paragraph (5).
(c) GENERAL PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in
this section or any other statute, no Member, employee,
or House of Congress may accept payment in cash or in
kind for expenses referred to in subsection (a).
A Mem-
ber or employee who accepts any such payment in violation
of the preceding sentence—
(1) may be required, in addition to any penalty
provided by law, to repay, for deposit in the general
fund of the Treasury, an amount equal to the
amount of the payment so accepted; and
(2) in the case of a repayment under paragraph
(1), shall not be entitled to any payment from the
Government for such expenses.
(d) REPORTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Member shall, in the man-
ner provided in paragraph (2), publish in the Con-
gressional Record reports of payments of more than
$20 accepted under this section by the Member or
by an employee of the Member.
(2) CONTENTS.—The reports required by para-
graph (1) shall, with respect to each payment—
(A) specify the amount and method of pay-
ment, the name of the person making the pay-
ment, the name of the Member or employee, the
nature of the meeting or similar function, the
time and place of travel, the nature of the ex-
penses, and such other information as the Eth-
ics Committee may prescribe;
(B) be submitted not later than May 31 of
each year with respect to payments in the pre-
ceding period beginning on October 1 and end-
ing on March 31; and
(C) be submitted not later than November
30 of each year with respect to payments in the
preceding period beginning on April 1 and end-
ing on September 30.
SEC. 9. SOLICITATION OF REGISTERED LOBBYISTS.
A Member or employee shall not knowingly solicit
contributions from any registered lobbyist for an organiza-
tion described under section 501(c) of the Internal Reve-
nue Code of 1986. For purposes of this section, the fact
that the name of a Member or employee is on the letter-
head of a solicitation is not sufficient to establish that the
named Member or employee has solicited a contribution.
SEC. 10. PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION OF ACT.
(a) CIVIL ACTION.—The Attorney General may bring
a civil action in any appropriate United States district
court against any individual who knowingly and willfully
accepts or solicits a gift in violation of section 2 or other-
wise violates any provision of this Act. The court in which
such an action is brought may assess against any such
individual a civil penalty in any amount, not to exceed
$10,000.
(b) COMMITTEE REFERRAL.—The Ethics Committee
shall refer to the Attorney General the name of any indi-
vidual which such committee has reasonable cause to be-
lieve has willfully violated any provision of this Act.
(c) COMMITTEE ACTION.—The Ethics Committee
may take any appropriate personnel or other action in ac-