Taxpayer-Funded Travel Transparency Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-5336
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ellmers, Renee L. [R-NC-2]
Introduced: 2016-05-26
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Congressional operations and organization

Congressional oversight

Government information and archives

House Committee on House Administration

House of Representatives

Members of Congress

Transportation costs

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2016-05-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-05-26
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Taxpayer-Funded Travel Transparency Act of 2016</b></p> <p>This bill requires each Member of the House of Representatives to post on the Member's official public website, and to furnish to the Committee on House Administration:</p> <ul> <li>a description of each trip taken by the Member for which transportation, lodging, or related expenses were paid by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of State, or an office of the House; and </li> <li>the amounts paid by DOD, State, or the office for such expenses. </li> </ul> <p>These reporting requirements shall not apply with respect to a trip taken by a Member for which expenses were paid by that Member's Representational Allowance. </p> <p>The Committee on House Administration shall maintain on its official public website a clearinghouse of all of the travel and expenses information furnished to the Committee by all House members.</p> <p>In the case of a trip taken by a Member of the House for which DOD or the State Department pays transportation, lodging, or related expenses, the respective department shall:</p> <ul> <li>determine the costs of the transportation, lodging, and related expenses paid; and </li> <li>furnish the Member with a written statement of those expenses within 10 days after completion of the trip. </li> </ul> <p>The respective department may waive the written statement of expenses requirement if furnishing the statement may affect national security.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5336 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 26, 2016 Mrs. Ellmers of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration A BILL To require Members of the House of Representatives to post information on their official public websites on the costs of trips taken by Members for which expenses were paid by the Department of Defense, the Department of State, or other offices of the House of Representatives, to direct the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives to maintain an online clearinghouse on its official public website of all such information for all Members, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Taxpayer-Funded Travel Transparency Act of 2016 . 2. Requiring Members of House to post information on costs of certain taxpayer-funded travel (a) Requirement for Members (1) In general Each Member of the House of Representatives shall post on the Member’s official public website, and shall provide to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives— (A) a description of each trip taken by the Member for which transportation, lodging, or related expenses were paid by the Department of Defense, the Department of State, or an office of the House of Representatives; and (B) the amounts paid by the Department of Defense, the Department of State, or office of the House for such expenses. (2) Exception for Members’ Representational Allowance Paragraph (1) does not apply with respect to a trip taken by a Member for which expenses were paid by the Members’ Representational Allowance of such Member. (b) Clearinghouse of information on Committee website The Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives shall maintain on its official public website a clearinghouse of all of the information provided to the Committee under subsection (a) by all Members of the House. (c) Regulations The Committee on House Administration shall promulgate such regulations as it considers appropriate to carry out this section. 3. Determination and disclosure of expenses incurred by Department of Defense and Department of State in paying Member travel expenses (a) Requirements for Secretary of Defense In the case of a trip taken by a Member of the House of Representatives for which the Department of Defense pays transportation, lodging, or related expenses, the Secretary of Defense shall— (1) determine the cost of the transportation, lodging, and related expenses paid with respect to the Member; and (2) subject to subsection (c), provide the Member with a written statement of the expenses not later than 10 days after completion of the trip involved. (b) Requirements for Secretary of State In the case of a trip taken by a Member of the House of Representatives for which the Department of State pays transportation, lodging, or related expenses, the Secretary of State shall— (1) determine the cost of the transportation, lodging, and related expenses paid with respect to the Member; and (2) subject to subsection (c), provide the Member with a written statement of the expenses not later than 10 days after completion of the trip involved. (c) Exception for disclosures affecting national security The Secretary of Defense may waive the application of paragraph (2) of subsection (a), and the Secretary of State may waive the application of paragraph (2) of subsection (b), with respect to a statement of expenses relating to a trip taken by a Member of the House of Representatives if the Secretary determines that providing the statement of expenses may affect national security. 4. Definition In this Act, the term Member of the House of Representatives includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress. 5. Effective Date This Act shall apply with respect to trips taken on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, except that this Act does not apply with respect to any trip which began prior to such date.