SWAMP Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4388 | Sponsor: Rep. Lieu, Ted (D-CA)
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Stop Waste And Misuse by the President Act of 2021 or the SWAMP Act of 2021
This bill requires the President, Vice President, President-elect, Vice President-elect, or an immediate family member of such an official, who, while traveling, stays in a hotel or other establishment providing daily-rate accommodation in which that person has an ownership or financial interest, to reimburse to the Treasury specified expenses. Specifically, Treasury must be reimbursed (1) any amount expended by the Secret Service for protection, and (2) any amount expended for other costs incurred by the government pertaining to that stay.

To limit the amount of expenditure on Presidential travel, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This subtitle may be cited as the ``Stop Waste And Misuse by the 
President Act of 2021'' or the ``SWAMP Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Presidential travel to commercial entities owned in 
        whole or in part by the President or First Family results in 
        the American taxpayer effectively subsidizing the President's 
        businesses.
            (2) President Trump spent more during his first four months 
        in office than President Obama did, on average, in roughly two 
        years.
            (3) It is unacceptable for the President to maintain an 
        interest in traveling to properties in which he has a direct 
        financial interest, as the U.S. Government is responsible for 
        renting space for personnel in said private commercial 
        entities.
            (4) Every time the President travels to Mar-a-Lago, he 
        necessarily promotes his private business interests via free 
        press at the Government's expense.
            (5) The State Department's promotion of Mar-a-Lago on its 
        official website raises serious ethics concerns.
            (6) As of October 17, 2019, President Trump has cost the 
        U.S. taxpayer unprecedented amounts of money, including the 
        following estimated costs:
                    (A) For trips to Mar-a-Lago:
                            (i) Total cost for security in Palm Beach: 
                        $3,700,000 (each trip).
                            (ii) Roundtrip flights from Joint Base 
                        Andrews, Maryland, to West Palm, Florida: 
                        $700,000.
                            (iii) Overtime for local law enforcement 
                        during Trump's trips: $60,000/day.
                    (B) For Trump Tower:
                            (i) Request for additional Secret Service 
                        funding to secure Trump Towers: $60,000,000.
                            (ii) New York Police Department security 
                        costs: $127,000-$146,000/day.
                            (iii) Air Force One flights to New York 
                        City: $180,000/hour.
            (7) As of October 17, 2019, the President has spent the 
        following number of days at various properties he owns:
                    (A) 99 days at Mar-a-Lago.
                    (B) 90 days at Trump National Bedminster.
                    (C) 76 days at Trump National Potomac.
                    (D) 59 days at Trump International West Palm.
                    (E) 22 days at Trump International Hotel.
                    (F) 20 days at Trump Tower.

SEC. 3. REIMBURSAL FOR COSTS OF PROTECTION.

    In the case of a person whom the United States Secret Service is 
authorized to protect under paragraph (1) or (2) of section 3056(a) of 
title 18, United States Code, if that person, while traveling for 
official business or for personal purposes, stays in a hotel or other 
establishment providing daily-rate accommodation in which that person 
has an ownership or financial interest, that person shall reimburse to 
the Treasury--
            (1) any amount expended by the United States Secret Service 
        for the provision of such protection; and
            (2) any amount expended for other costs incurred by the 
        Government pertaining to that stay.
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