[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2412 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2412

   To provide more rigorous requirements with respect to ethics and 
                               lobbying.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 17, 2005

   Mr. Meehan (for himself, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Baird, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
 Berry, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. 
 Butterfield, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Case, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. 
 Cooper, Mr. Costa, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Davis of Tennessee, Mr. 
Davis of Alabama, Mr. DeFazio, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Doggett, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. 
Filner, Mr. Ford, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, 
  Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Harman, Mr. Holt, Mr. Kildee, Mr. 
Kind, Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Ms. 
  Zoe Lofgren of California, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Markey, Ms. Matsui, Mrs. 
 McCarthy, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Mr. McDermott, Mr. McGovern, Mr. 
 McNulty, Mr. Menendez, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Moore of 
  Kansas, Mr. Olver, Mr. Owens, Mr. Pallone, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Price of 
  North Carolina, Mr. Ross, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Scott of 
Virginia, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Solis, Mr. Stark, Mrs. Tauscher, Mr. Taylor 
 of Mississippi, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, 
Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Watson, Ms. Woolsey, and Mr. 
    Evans) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on 
      Standards of Official Conduct and Rules, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide more rigorous requirements with respect to ethics and 
                               lobbying.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Special Interest 
Lobbying and Ethics Accountability Act of 2005''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
                 TITLE I--ENHANCING LOBBYING DISCLOSURE

Sec. 101. Quarterly filing of lobbying disclosure reports.
Sec. 102. Electronic filing of lobbying disclosure reports.
Sec. 103. Public database of lobbying disclosure information.
Sec. 104. Identification of officials with whom lobbying contacts are 
                            made.
Sec. 105. Disclosure by registered lobbyists of all past executive and 
                            congressional employment.
Sec. 106. Disclosure of grassroots activities by paid lobbyists.
Sec. 107. Disclosure of lobbying activities by certain coalitions and 
                            associations.
                  TITLE II--SLOWING THE REVOLVING DOOR

Sec. 201. Extension from 1 to 2 years of ban on attempting to influence 
                            by senior executive personnel, former 
                            Members of Congress, and officers and 
                            employees of the legislative branch.
Sec. 202. Reform of waiver process for acts affecting a personal 
                            financial interest.
Sec. 203. Public disclosure by Members of Congress of employment 
                            negotiations.
Sec. 204. Wrongfully influencing, on a partisan basis, an entity's 
                            employment decisions or practices.
Sec. 205. Amendment to Code of Official Conduct to prohibit favoritism.
         TITLE III--CURBING EXCESSES IN PRIVATELY FUNDED TRAVEL

Sec. 301. Required certification that congressional travel meets 
                            certain conditions.
Sec. 302. False certification in connection with congressional travel.
Sec. 303. Increased disclosure of travel by Members.
Sec. 304. Guidelines respecting travel expenses.
    TITLE IV--STRENGTHENING ENFORCEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF ETHICS AND 
                                LOBBYING

Sec. 401. Comptroller General review and semiannual report on 
                            activities carried out by Clerk of the 
                            House and Secretary of the Senate under 
                            Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
Sec. 402. Increased penalty for failure to comply with lobbying 
                            disclosure requirements.
Sec. 403. Hearings, recommendations, and report regarding activities of 
                            lobbyists.
Sec. 404. Ethics task force.

                 TITLE I--ENHANCING LOBBYING DISCLOSURE

SEC. 101. QUARTERLY FILING OF LOBBYING DISCLOSURE REPORTS.

    (a) Quarterly Filing Required.--Section 5 of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1604) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``Semiannual'' and inserting 
                ``Quarterly'';
                    (B) by striking ``the semiannual period'' and all 
                that follows through ``July of each year'' and insert 
                ``the quarterly period beginning on the first days of 
                January, April, July, and October of each year''; and
                    (C) by striking ``such semiannual period'' and 
                insert ``such quarterly period''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``semiannual report'' and inserting 
                ``quarterly report'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``semiannual 
                filing period'' and inserting ``quarterly period'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``semiannual 
                period'' and inserting ``quarterly period''; and
                    (D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``semiannual 
                filing period'' and inserting ``quarterly period''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Definition.--Section 3 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1602) is 
        amended in paragraph (10) by striking ``six month period'' and 
        inserting ``three-month period''.
            (2) Registration.--Section 4 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1603) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(3)(A) by striking 
                ``semiannual period'' and inserting ``quarterly 
                period''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(3)(A) by striking 
                ``semiannual period'' and inserting ``quarterly 
                period''.
            (3) Enforcement.--Section 6 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1605) is 
        amended in paragraph (6) by striking ``semiannual period'' and 
        inserting ``quarterly period''.
            (4) Estimates.--Section 15 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1610) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)(1) by striking ``semiannual 
                period'' and inserting ``quarterly period''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ``semiannual 
                period'' and inserting ``quarterly period''.
            (5) Dollar amounts.--
                    (A) Section 4 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1603) is 
                further amended--
                            (i) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(i), by striking 
                        ``$5,000'' and inserting ``$2,500'';
                            (ii) in subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii), by 
                        striking ``$20,000'' and inserting ``$10,000'';
                            (iii) in subsection (b)(3)(A), by striking 
                        ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$5,000''; and
                            (iv) in subsection (b)(4), by striking 
                        ``$10,000'' and inserting ``$5,000''.
                    (B) Section 5 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 1604) is 
                further amended--
                            (i) in subsection (c)(1), by striking 
                        ``$10,000'' and ``$20,000'' and inserting 
                        ``$5,000'' and ``$10,000'', respectively; and
                            (ii) in subsection (c)(2), by striking 
                        ``$10,000'' both places such term appears and 
                        inserting ``$5,000''.

SEC. 102. ELECTRONIC FILING OF LOBBYING DISCLOSURE REPORTS.

     Section 5 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1604) 
is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Electronic Filing Required.--A report required to be filed 
under this section shall be filed in electronic form, in addition to 
any other form that may be required by the Secretary of the Senate or 
the Clerk of the House of Representatives.''.

SEC. 103. PUBLIC DATABASE OF LOBBYING DISCLOSURE INFORMATION.

    (a) Database Required.--Section 6 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995 (2 U.S.C. 1605) is further amended--
            (1) in paragraph (7) by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (8) by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(9) maintain, and make available to the public over the 
        Internet, without a fee or other access charge, in a 
        searchable, sortable, and downloadable manner, an electronic 
        database that--
                    ``(A) includes the information contained in 
                registrations and reports filed under this Act;
                    ``(B) directly links the information it contains to 
                the information disclosed in reports filed with the 
                Federal Election Commission under section 304 of the 
                Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434); 
                and
                    ``(C) is searchable and sortable to the maximum 
                extent practicable, including searchable and sortable 
                by each of the categories of information described in 
                section 4(b) or 5(b).''.
    (b) Availability of Reports.--Section 6 of such Act is further 
amended in paragraph (4) by inserting before the semicolon at the end 
the following: ``and, in the case of a report filed in electronic form 
pursuant to section 5(d), shall make such report available for public 
inspection over the Internet not more than 48 hours after the report is 
so filed''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out paragraph (9) 
of section 6 of such Act, as added by subsection (a).

SEC. 104. IDENTIFICATION OF OFFICIALS WITH WHOM LOBBYING CONTACTS ARE 
              MADE.

     Section 5 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1604) 
is further amended in subsection (b)(2)--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as 
        subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new 
        subparagraph:
                    ``(B) for each specific issue listed pursuant to 
                subparagraph (A), a list identifying each covered 
                executive branch official and each Member of Congress 
                with whom a lobbyist employed by the registrant engaged 
                in a lobbying contact with respect to that issue;''.

SEC. 105. DISCLOSURE BY REGISTERED LOBBYISTS OF ALL PAST EXECUTIVE AND 
              CONGRESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT.

    Section 4 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603) is 
further amended in subsection (b)(6) by striking ``or a covered 
legislative branch official'' and all that follows through ``as a 
lobbyist on behalf of the client,'' and inserting ``or a covered 
legislative branch official,''.

SEC. 106. DISCLOSURE OF GRASSROOTS ACTIVITIES BY PAID LOBBYISTS.

    (a) Disclosure of Grassroots Activities.--Section 3 of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602) is further amended by adding at 
the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(17) Grassroots lobbying communication.--The term 
        `grassroots lobbying communication' means an attempt to 
        influence legislation or executive action through the use of 
        mass communications directed to the general public and designed 
        to encourage recipients to take specific action with respect to 
        legislation or executive action, except that such term does not 
        include any communications by an entity directed to its 
        members, employees, officers, or shareholders. For purposes of 
        this paragraph, a communication is designed to encourage a 
        recipient if any of the following applies:
                    ``(A) The communication states that the recipient 
                should contact a legislator, or should contact an 
                officer or employee of an executive agency.
                    ``(B) The communication provides the address, phone 
                number, and contact information of a legislator or of 
                an officer or employee of an executive agency.
                    ``(C) The communication provides a petition, tear-
                off postcard, or similar material for the recipient to 
                send to a legislator or to an officer or employee of an 
                executive agency.
                    ``(D)(i) Subject to clause (ii), the communication 
                specifically identifies an individual who--
                            ``(I) is in a position to consider or vote 
                        on the legislation;
                            ``(II) represents the recipient in 
                        Congress; or
                            ``(III) is an officer or employee of the 
                        executive agency to which the legislation or 
                        executive action relates.
                    ``(ii) A communication described in clause (i) is a 
                grassroots lobbying communication only if it is a 
                communication that cannot meet the `full and fair 
                exposition' test as nonpartisan analysis, study, or 
                research.''.
    (b) Separate Itemization of Grassroots Expenses.--Section 5 of the 
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1604) is further amended in 
subsection (b)--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by inserting after ``total amount of 
        all income'' the following: ``(including an itemization of the 
        total amount relating specifically to grassroots lobbying 
        communications and, within that amount, an itemization of the 
        total amount specifically relating to broadcast media 
        grassroots lobbying communications)''; and
            (2) in paragraph (4), by inserting after ``total expenses'' 
        the following: ``(including an itemization of the total amount 
        relating specifically to grassroots lobbying communications 
        and, within that total amount, an itemization of the total 
        amount specifically relating to broadcast media grassroots 
        lobbying communications)''.

SEC. 107. DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES BY CERTAIN COALITIONS AND 
              ASSOCIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Paragraph (2) of section 3 of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2) Client.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `client' means any 
                person or entity that employs or retains another person 
                for financial or other compensation to conduct lobbying 
                activities on behalf of that person or entity. A person 
                or entity whose employees act as lobbyists on its own 
                behalf is both a client and an employer of such 
                employees.
                    ``(B) Treatment of coalitions and associations.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in 
                        clauses (ii) and (iii), in the case of a 
                        coalition or association that employs or 
                        retains other persons to conduct lobbying 
                        activities, each of the individual members of 
                        the coalition or association (and not the 
                        coalition or association) is the client. For 
                        purposes of section 4(a)(3), the preceding 
                        sentence shall not apply, and the coalition or 
                        association shall be treated as the client.
                            ``(ii) Exception for certain tax-exempt 
                        associations.--In case of an association--
                                    ``(I) which is described in 
                                paragraph (3) of section 501(c) of the 
                                Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
                                exempt from tax under section 501(a) of 
                                such Code, or
                                    ``(II) which is described in any 
                                other paragraph of section 501(c) of 
                                the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
                                exempt from tax under section 501(a) of 
                                such Code and which has substantial 
                                exempt activities other than lobbying 
                                with respect to the specific issue for 
                                which it engaged the person filing the 
                                registration statement under section 4,
                        the association (and not its members) shall be 
                        treated as the client.
                            ``(iii) Exception for certain members.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--Information on a 
                                member of a coalition or association 
                                need not be included in any 
                                registration under section 4 if the 
                                amount reasonably expected to be 
                                contributed by such member toward the 
                                activities of the coalition or 
                                association of influencing legislation 
                                is less than $500 per any quarterly 
                                period.
                                    ``(II) Exception.--Subclause (I) 
                                shall not apply with respect to any 
                                member who unexpectedly makes aggregate 
                                contributions of more than $500 in any 
                                quarterly period, and the date the 
                                aggregate of such contributions first 
                                exceeds $500 in such period shall be 
                                treated as the date of first employment 
                                or retention to make a lobbying contact 
                                for purposes of section 4.
                            ``(iv) Look-thru rules.--In the case of a 
                        coalition or association which is treated as a 
                        client under the first sentence of clause (i)--
                                    ``(I) such coalition or association 
                                shall be treated as employing or 
                                retaining other persons to conduct 
                                lobbying activities for purposes of 
                                determining whether any individual 
                                member thereof is treated as a client 
                                under clause (i), and
                                    ``(II) information on such 
                                coalition or association need not be 
                                included in any registration under 
                                section 4 of the coalition or 
                                association with respect to which it is 
                                treated as a client under clause 
                                (i).''.
    (b) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--The amendments made by this section shall 
        apply to--
                    (A) coalitions and associations listed on 
                registration statements filed under section 4 of the 
                Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1603) after 
                the date of the enactment of this Act, and
                    (B) coalitions and associations for whom any 
                lobbying contact is made after the date of the 
                enactment of this Act.
            (2) Special rule.--In the case of any coalition or 
        association to which the amendments made by this Act apply by 
        reason of paragraph (1)(B), the person required by such section 
        4 to file a registration statement with respect to such 
        coalition or association shall file a new registration 
        statement within 30 days after the date of the enactment of 
        this Act.

                  TITLE II--SLOWING THE REVOLVING DOOR

SEC. 201. EXTENSION FROM 1 TO 2 YEARS OF BAN ON ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE 
              BY SENIOR EXECUTIVE PERSONNEL, FORMER MEMBERS OF 
              CONGRESS, AND OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE LEGISLATIVE 
              BRANCH.

    (a) Senior and Very Senior Executive Personnel.--Section 207 of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended in each of subsections (c)(1) 
and (d)(1) by striking ``within 1 year after'' and inserting ``within 2 
years after''.
    (b) Former Members of Congress and Officers and Employees of the 
Legislative Branch.--Section 207(e) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended in each of paragraphs (1)(A), (2)(A), (3), (4)(A), and (5)(A) 
by striking ``within 1 year'' and inserting ``within 2 years''.

SEC. 202. REFORM OF WAIVER PROCESS FOR ACTS AFFECTING A PERSONAL 
              FINANCIAL INTEREST.

     Section 208 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1)--
                    (A) by inserting after ``the Government official 
                responsible for appointment to his or her position'' 
                the following: ``and the Office of Government Ethics''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``a written determination made by 
                such official'' and inserting ``a written determination 
                made by the Office of Government Ethics, after 
                consultation with such official,'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ``the official 
        responsible for the employee's appointment, after review of'' 
        and inserting ``the Office of Government Ethics, after 
        consultation with the official responsible for the employee's 
        appointment and after review of''; and
            (3) in subsection (d)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``Upon request'' and all that 
                follows through ``Ethics in Government Act of 1978.'' 
                and inserting ``In each case in which the Office of 
                Government Ethics makes a determination granting an 
                exemption under subsection (b)(1) or (b)(3) to a 
                person, the Office shall, not later than 3 business 
                days after making such determination, make available to 
                the public pursuant to the procedures set forth in 
                section 105 of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, 
                and publish in the Federal Register, such determination 
                and the materials submitted by such person in 
                requesting such exemption.''; and
                    (B) strike ``the agency may withhold'' and insert 
                ``the Office of Government Ethics may withhold''.

SEC. 203. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS OF EMPLOYMENT 
              NEGOTIATIONS.

    (a) House of Representatives.--The Code of Official Conduct set 
forth in rule XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives is 
amended by redesignating clause 14 as clause 15 and by inserting after 
clause 13 the following new clause:
            ``14. A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner shall 
        publicly disclose the fact that he or she is negotiating or has 
        any arrangement concerning prospective employment if a conflict 
        of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest may 
        exist. Such disclosure shall be made within 3 days after the 
        commencement of such negotiation or arrangement.''.
    (b) Senate.--[Text to be supplied by the Senate].

SEC. 204. WRONGFULLY INFLUENCING, ON A PARTISAN BASIS, AN ENTITY'S 
              EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS OR PRACTICES.

    Whoever, being a Senator or Representative in, or a Delegate or 
Resident Commissioner to, the Congress or an employee of either House 
of Congress, with the intent to influence on the basis of political 
party affiliation an employment decision or employment practice of any 
private or public entity (except for the Congress), directly or 
indirectly (including through an agent such as an agent of a national 
committee of a political party)--
            (1) takes or withholds, or offers or threatens to take or 
        withhold, an official act; or
            (2) influences, or offers or threatens to influence, the 
        official act of another;
shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned for 
not more than 15 years, or both, and may be disqualified from holding 
any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

SEC. 205. AMENDMENT TO CODE OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT TO PROHIBIT FAVORITISM.

    (a) House of Representatives.--Rule XXIII of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives (known as the Code of Official Conduct) is amended 
by redesignating clause 14 as clause 15 and by inserting after clause 
13 the following new clause:
    ``14. A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or 
employee of the House may not take or withhold, or threaten to take or 
withold, any official action on the basis of partisan affiliation 
(except as permitted by clause 9) or the campaign contributions or 
support of any person or the prospect of personal gain either for 
oneself or any other person.''.
    (b) Senate.--[Text to be supplied by the Senate.]

         TITLE III--CURBING EXCESSES IN PRIVATELY FUNDED TRAVEL

SEC. 301. REQUIRED CERTIFICATION THAT CONGRESSIONAL TRAVEL MEETS 
              CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

    (a) House of Representatives.--Clause 5 of rule XXV of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives is amended by redesignating paragraphs (e) 
and (f) as paragraphs (f) and (g), respectively, and by inserting after 
paragraph (d) the following new paragraph:
    ``(e)(1) Except as provided by subparagraph (2), before a Member, 
Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House may 
accept a gift of transportation or lodging otherwise permissible under 
this clause from any person, such Member, Delegate, Resident 
Commissioner, officer, or employee of the House, as applicable, shall 
obtain a written certification from such person (and provide a copy of 
such certification to the Clerk) that--
            ``(A) the trip was not planned, organized, arranged, or 
        financed by a registered lobbyist or foreign agent and was not 
        organized at the request of a registered lobbyist or foreign 
        agent; and
            ``(B) the person did not accept, from any source, funds 
        specifically earmarked for the purpose of financing the travel 
        expenses.
The Clerk shall make public information received under this 
subparagraph as soon as possible after it is received.
    ``(2) A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner is not required 
to obtain a written certification for a gift or transportation or 
lodging described in subdivision (A), (B), (C), (D), (F), or (G) of 
paragraph (a)(1).''.
    (b) Senate.--[Text to be supplied by the Senate].

SEC. 302. FALSE CERTIFICATION IN CONNECTION WITH CONGRESSIONAL TRAVEL.

    (a) In General.--Whoever makes a false certification in connection 
with the travel of a Member, officer, or employee of either House of 
Congress (within the meaning given those terms in section 207 of title 
18, United States Code) shall, upon proof of such offense by a 
preponderance of the evidence, be subject to a civil fine depending on 
the extent and gravity of the violation.
    (b) Maximum Fine.--The maximum fine per offense under this section 
depends on the number of separate trips in connection with which the 
person committed an offense under this section, as follows:
            (1) First trip.--For each offense committed in connection 
        with the first such trip, the amount of the fine shall be not 
        more than $100,000 per offense.
            (2) Second trip.--For each offense committed in connection 
        with the second such trip, the amount of the fine shall be not 
        more than $300,000 per offense.
            (3) Any other trips.--For each offense committed in 
        connection with any such trip after the second, the amount of 
        the fine shall be not more than $500,000 per offense.

SEC. 303. INCREASED DISCLOSURE OF TRAVEL BY MEMBERS.

    (a) House of Representatives.--Clause 5(b)(1)(A)(ii) of rule XXV of 
the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended by--
            (1) inserting ``a detailed description of each of'' before 
        ``the expenses''; and
            (2) inserting ``, including a description of all meetings, 
        tours, events, and outings during such travel'' before the 
        period at the end thereof.
    (b) Senate.--[Text to be supplied by the Senate.]

SEC. 304. GUIDELINES RESPECTING TRAVEL EXPENSES.

    (a) House of Representatives.--Clause 5(f) of rule XXV of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives is amended by inserting ``(1)'' after 
``(f)'' and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(2) Within 90 days after the date of adoption of this 
subparagraph and at annual intervals thereafter, the Committee on 
Standards of official Conduct shall develop and revise, as necessary, 
guidelines on what constitutes `reasonable expenses' or `reasonable 
expenditures' for purposes of paragraph (b)(4). In developing and 
revising the guidelines, the committee shall take into account the 
maximum per diem rates for official Government travel published 
annually by the General Services Administration, the Department of 
State, and the Department of Defense.''.
    (b) Senate.--[Text to be supplied by the Senate.]

    TITLE IV--STRENGTHENING ENFORCEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF ETHICS AND 
                                LOBBYING

SEC. 401. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW AND SEMIANNUAL REPORT ON 
              ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY CLERK OF THE HOUSE AND 
              SECRETARY OF THE SENATE UNDER LOBBYING DISCLOSURE ACT OF 
              1995.

    (a) Ongoing Review Required.--The Comptroller General shall review 
on an ongoing basis the activities carried out by the Clerk of the 
House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate under section 
6 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1605). The review 
shall emphasize--
            (1) the effectiveness of those activities in securing the 
        compliance by lobbyists with the requirements of that Act; and
            (2) whether the Clerk and the Secretary have the resources 
        and authorities needed for effective oversight and enforcement 
        of that Act.
    (b) Semiannual Reports.--Twice yearly, not later than January 1 and 
not later than July 1 of each year, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to Congress a report on the review required by subsection (a). 
The report shall include the Comptroller General's assessment of the 
matters required to be emphasized by that subsection and any 
recommendations of the Comptroller General to--
            (1) improve the compliance by lobbyists with the 
        requirements of that Act; and
            (2) provide the Clerk and the Secretary with the resources 
        and authorities needed for effective oversight and enforcement 
        of that Act.

SEC. 402. INCREASED PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH LOBBYING 
              DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 7 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1606) is 
amended by striking ``$50,000'' and inserting ``$100,000''.

SEC. 403. HEARINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND REPORT REGARDING ACTIVITIES OF 
              LOBBYISTS.

    The Committee on House Administration and the Committee on the 
Judiciary are each authorized and directed to conduct hearings on each 
semiannual report submitted by the Comptroller General pursuant to 
section 401(b) and to report, as soon as practicable, the results of 
such hearings and any legislative recommendations to address the issues 
raised by such semiannual report.

SEC. 404. ETHICS TASK FORCE.

    (a) Appointment of Ethics Task Force.--Within 30 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Speaker and the minority leader 
shall each appoint 5 Members to a bipartisan ethics task force with 
equal representation of the majority and minority parties to make 
recommendations--
            (1) on strengthening ethics oversight and enforcement in 
        the House of Representatives; and
            (2) on providing the resources necessary to accomplish this 
        goal.
    (b) Consultation and Final Report.--The ethics task force shall 
consult outside experts in its work and report its findings and 
recommendations to the House of Representatives not later than 60 days 
after it is established.
                                 <all>