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gressional employment and similar opportunities are
available to large segments of the public through or-
ganizations of similar size;
‘‘(D) offered to any group or class that is not
defined in a manner that specifically discriminates
among Government employees on the basis of
branch of Government or type of responsibility, or
on a basis that favors those of higher rank or rate
of pay;
‘‘(E) in the form of loans from banks and
other financial institutions on terms generally avail-
able to the public; or
‘‘(F) in the form of reduced membership or
other fees for participation in organization activities
offered to all Government employees by professional
organizations if the only restrictions on membership
relate to professional qualifications.
‘‘(19) A plaque, trophy, or other item that is sub-
stantially commemorative in nature and which is in-
tended for presentation.
‘‘(20) Anything for which, in an unusual case, a
waiver is granted by the Committee on Standards of Of-
ficial Conduct.
‘‘(21) Food or refreshments of a nominal value of-
fered other than as a part of a meal.
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‘‘(d)(1) A Member, officer, or employee may accept an
offer of free attendance at a widely attended convention, con-
ference, symposium, forum, panel discussion, dinner, viewing,
reception, or similar event, provided by the sponsor of the
event, if—
‘‘(A) the Member, officer, or employee participates
in the event as a speaker or a panel participant, by pre-
senting information related to Congress or matters be-
fore Congress, or by performing a ceremonial function
appropriate to the Member’s, officer’s, or employee’s of-
ficial position; or
‘‘(B) attendance at the event is appropriate to the
performance of the official duties or representative func-
tion of the Member, officer, or employee.
‘‘(2) A Member, officer, or employee who attends an
event described in subparagraph (1) may accept a sponsor’s
unsolicited offer of free attendance at the event for an accom-
panying individual.
‘‘(3) A Member, officer, or employee, or the spouse or
dependent thereof, may accept a sponsor’s unsolicited offer of
free attendance at a charity event, except that reimbursement
for transportation and lodging may not be accepted in con-
nection with the event.
‘‘(4) For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘free at-
tendance’ may include waiver of all or part of a conference
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or other fee, the provision of local transportation, or the pro-
vision of food, refreshments, entertainment, and instructional
materials furnished to all attendees as an integral part of the
event. The term does not include entertainment collateral to
the event, nor does it include food or refreshments taken
other than in a group setting with all or substantially all
other attendees.
‘‘(e) No Member, officer, or employee may accept a gift
the value of which exceeds $250 on the basis of the personal
friendship exception in paragraph (c)(4) unless the Commit-
tee on Standards of Official Conduct issues a written deter-
mination that such exception applies. No determination under
this paragraph is required for gifts given on the basis of the
family relationship exception.
‘‘(f) When it is not practicable to return a tangible item
because it is perishable, the item may, at the discretion of the
recipient, be given to an appropriate charity or destroyed.
‘‘2. (a)(1) A reimbursement (including payment in kind)
to a Member, officer, or employee from a private source other
than a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal for
necessary transportation, lodging and related expenses for
travel to a meeting, speaking engagement, factfinding trip or
similar event in connection with the duties of the Member, of-
ficer, or employee as an officeholder shall be deemed to be
a reimbursement to the House of Representatives and not a
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gift prohibited by this rule, if the Member, officer, or em-
ployee—
‘‘(A) in the case of an employee, receives advance
authorization, from the Member or officer under whose
direct supervision the employee works, to accept reim-
bursement, and
‘‘(B) discloses the expenses reimbursed or to be re-
imbursed and the authorization to the Clerk of the
House of Representatives within 30 days after the travel
is completed.
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (a)(1), events, the ac-
tivities of which are substantially recreational in nature, shall
not be considered to be in connection with the duties of a
Member, officer, or employee as an officeholder.
‘‘(b) Each advance authorization to accept reimburse-
ment shall be signed by the Member or officer under whose
direct supervision the employee works and shall include—
‘‘(1) the name of the employee;
‘‘(2) the name of the person who will make the re-
imbursement;
‘‘(3) the time, place, and purpose of the travel; and
‘‘(4) a determination that the travel is in connection
with the duties of the employee as an officeholder and
would not create the appearance that the employee is
using public office for private gain.
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‘‘(c) Each disclosure made under paragraph (a)(1) of ex-
penses reimbursed or to be reimbursed shall be signed by the
Member or officer (in the case of travel by that Member or
officer) or by the Member or officer under whose direct su-
pervision the employee works (in the case of travel by an em-
ployee) and shall include—
‘‘(1) a good faith estimate of total transportation
expenses reimbursed or to be reimbursed;
‘‘(2) a good faith estimate of total lodging expenses
reimbursed or to be reimbursed;
‘‘(3) a good faith estimate of total meal expenses
reimbursed or to be reimbursed;
‘‘(4) a good faith estimate of the total of other ex-
penses reimbursed or to be reimbursed;
‘‘(5) a determination that all such expenses are nec-
essary transportation, lodging, and related expenses as
defined in paragraph (d); and
‘‘(6) in the case of a reimbursement to a Member
or officer, a determination that the travel was in connec-
tion with the duties of the Member or officer as an of-
ficeholder and would not create the appearance that the
Member or officer is using public office for private gain.
‘‘(d) For the purposes of this clause, the term ‘necessary
transportation, lodging, and related expenses’—
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‘‘(1) includes reasonable expenses that are nec-
essary for travel for a period not exceeding 4 days within
the United States or 7 days exclusive of travel time out-
side of the United States unless approved in advance by
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct;
‘‘(2) is limited to reasonable expenditures for trans-
portation, lodging, conference fees and materials, and
food and refreshments, including reimbursement for nec-
essary transportation, whether or not such transpor-
tation occurs within the periods described in subpara-
graph (1);
‘‘(3) does not include expenditures for recreational
activities, nor does it include entertainment other than
that provided to all attendees as an integral part of the
event, except for activities or entertainment otherwise
permissible under this rule; and
‘‘(4) may include travel expenses incurred on behalf
of either the spouse or a child of the Member, officer,
or employee.
‘‘(e) The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall
make available to the public all advance authorizations and
disclosures of reimbursement filed pursuant to paragraph (a)
as soon as possible after they are received.
‘‘3. A gift prohibited by clause 1(a) includes the follow-
ing:
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‘‘(a) Anything provided by a registered lobbyist or
an agent of a foreign principal to an entity that is main-
tained or controlled by a Member, officer, or employee.
‘‘(b) A charitable contribution (as defined in section
170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) made by
a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal
on the basis of a designation, recommendation, or other
specification of a Member, officer, or employee (not in-
cluding a mass mailing or other solicitation directed to
a broad category of persons or entities), other than a
charitable contribution permitted by clause 4.
‘‘(c) A contribution or other payment by a reg-
istered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal to a
legal expense fund established for the benefit of a Mem-
ber, officer, or employee.
‘‘(d) A financial contribution or expenditure made
by a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign prin-
cipal relating to a conference, retreat, or similar event,
sponsored by or affiliated with an official congressional
organization, for or on behalf of Members, officers, or
employees.
‘‘4. (a) A charitable contribution (as defined in section
170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) made by a reg-
istered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal in lieu of
an honorarium to a Member, officer, or employee shall not be
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considered a gift under this rule if it is reported as provided
in paragraph (b).
‘‘(b) A Member, officer, or employee who designates or
recommends a contribution to a charitable organization in
lieu of honoraria described in paragraph (a) shall report with-
in 30 days after such designation or recommendation to the
Clerk of the House of Representatives—
‘‘(1) the name and address of the registered lobby-
ist who is making the contribution in lieu of honoraria;
‘‘(2) the date and amount of the contribution; and
‘‘(3) the name and address of the charitable organi-
zation designated or recommended by the Member.
The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall make public
information received pursuant to this paragraph as soon as
possible after it is received.
‘‘5. For purposes of this rule—
‘‘(a) the term ‘registered lobbyist’ means a lobbyist
registered under the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act
or any successor statute; and
‘‘(b) the term ‘agent of a foreign principal’ means
an agent of a foreign principal registered under the For-
eign Agents Registration Act.
‘‘6. All the provisions of this rule shall be interpreted
and enforced solely by the Committee on Standards of Offi-
cial Conduct. The Committee on Standards of Official Con-
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duct is authorized to issue guidance on any matter contained
in this rule.’’.
SEC. 2. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS BY THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSE
OVERSIGHT.
Clause 4(d) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Rep-
resentatives is amended by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (1), by striking the period at the end of subpara-
graph (2) and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and by adding after sub-
paragraph (2) the following:
‘‘(3) accepting a gift, other than as otherwise pro-
vided by law, if the gift does not involve any duty, bur-
den, or condition, or is not made dependent upon some
future performance by the House of Representatives and
promulgating regulations to carry out this paragraph.’’.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This resolution and the amendment made by this resolu-
tion shall take effect on and be effective for calendar years
beginning on January 1, 1996.
Attest:
Clerk.