[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 264 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 264

 To amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to require greater 
                          disclosure of gifts.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 10, 1995

  Mr. Burton of Indiana (for himself, Mr. Barr of Georgia, Mr. Jones, 
 Mrs. Fowler, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, Mr. Hall of Texas, Mr. Hansen, 
  Mr. Tauzin, Mr. Ewing, Mr. Packard, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Laughlin, Mr. 
  Scarborough, Mr. Bateman, Mr. McKeon, Mrs. Cubin, Mr. Everett, Mr. 
Hunter, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. Myers of Indiana, Mr. McInnis, Mr. Baker of 
Louisiana, Mr. Dornan, Mr. Crane, Mr. King, Mr. Bono, Mr. Hastert, Mr. 
  Moorhead, Mr. Young of Alaska, Ms. Dunn of Washington, Mr. Lewis of 
  Kentucky, Mr. Bonilla, Mr. Brewster, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. 
 Hayes, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Murtha, Mr. Parker, Mr. Pastor, Mr. Clay, 
Mr. Houghton, Mr. Stockman, Mr. Callahan, Mr. Clement, Mr. Rahall, Mr. 
  Martinez, Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Tejeda, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Towns, Ms. Eddie 
  Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Bishop, Mrs. 
Collins of Illinois, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Berman, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Mfume, Mr. 
Payne of New Jersey, Mrs. Meek of Florida, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Thompson, 
 Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Schaefer, Mr. McHugh, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Gilman, Mr. 
 Buyer, Mr. Bunning of Kentucky, Mr. Bliley, Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Hancock, 
    Mrs. Vucanovich, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Dooley, Mrs. Clayton, Mr. 
 Funderburk, Mr. Flake, Mr. McDade, and Mr. Radanovich) introduced the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules, and 
 in addition to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined 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 require greater 
                          disclosure of gifts.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. GIFT DISCLOSURE.

    (a) New Rule.--Rule XLIV of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``3. Notwithstanding section 102 of the Ethics in Government Act of 
1978, each report filed with the Clerk under title I of such Act for 
calendar year 1996 or any subsequent calendar year shall disclose any 
gift (including a meal) with a fair market value in excess of $50 
(other than personal hospitality of an individual or any gift received 
from a relative of the reporting individual), as adjusted under section 
102(a)(2)(A) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.''.
    (b) Existing Rule.--Clause 4 of Rule XLIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives is amended by striking ``$100'' and inserting 
``$50''.

SEC. 2. CONVENTIONS, ETC.

    Clause 4 of Rule XLIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives 
is amended by striking ``A Member'' and inserting ``(a) Except as 
provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), a Member'' and by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(b)(1) A Member, officer, or employee may accept an offer of free 
attendance at a widely attended convention, conference, 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 presenting 
        information related to Congress or matters before Congress, or 
        by performing a ceremonial function appropriate to the 
        Member's, officer's, or employee's official position; or
            ``(B) attendance at the event is appropriate to the 
        performance of the official duties or representative function 
        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 the spouse or dependent of the Member, 
officer, or employee.
    ``(3) For purposes of this paragraph, the term `free attendance' 
may include waiver of all or part of a conference or other fee, the 
provision of lodging or transportation or the provision 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.
    ``(c) 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 if--
            ``(1) the event is sponsored by an organization which is 
        listed under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
        1986;
            ``(2) all Member, officer, employee, spouse, or dependent-
        related expenses are paid by the sponsoring organization and 
        not by another corporation or individual;
            ``(3) the proceeds to charity from the event exceed the 
        costs of the event; and
            ``(4) the participation contributes in a tangible way to 
        the success of the event.''.
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