[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 728 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 728

     Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require 
preapproval of privately-funded travel and the inclusion of such travel 
  information on the public website of the Office of the Clerk of the 
           House of Representatives, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 15, 2006

 Mr. Flake (for himself, Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California, and Ms. 
Bordallo) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                           Committee on Rules

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require 
preapproval of privately-funded travel and the inclusion of such travel 
  information on the public website of the Office of the Clerk of the 
           House of Representatives, and for other purposes.

    Resolved,

SECTION 1. PREAPPROVAL AND POST-REVIEW OF PRIVATELY-FUNDED 
              CONGRESSIONAL TRAVEL.

    Clause 5 of rule XXV of the Rules of the House of Representatives 
is amended by redesignating paragraphs (e) and (f) as paragraphs (g) 
and (h), respectively, and by inserting after paragraph (d) the 
following new paragraphs:
    ``(e)(1) Before a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, 
or employee of the House may take a privately-funded trip--
            ``(A) that individual shall provide to the Committee on 
        Standards of Official Conduct the complete itinerary and 
        estimated expenses of the trip and an explanation of the 
        purpose of the trip and its relationship to their official 
        duties; and
            ``(B) that committee shall make a determination that the 
        proposed trip (including the itinerary and estimated expenses) 
        complies with all applicable rules of the House.
    ``(2)(A) Within 15 (not counting Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) 
days after completion of any trip described in subparagraph (1), the 
Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the 
House making such trip shall provide the actual itinerary and actual 
expenses to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
    ``(B) Within 45 days after receipt of any information received 
under subdivision (A), the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct 
shall verify compliance with the itinerary and expenses it preapproved 
and send the results of its review to the Clerk.''.

SEC. 2. INTERNET POSTING OF INFORMATION SUBMITTED ON PRIVATELY-FUNDED 
              TRAVEL.

    Clause 5(b)(5) of rule XXV of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is amended to read as follows:
    ``(5) Not later than 10 days after receipt, the Clerk shall post on 
the public Internet site of the Office of the Clerk any information 
submitted to the Clerk under this clause with respect to a privately-
funded trip, including the advance authorizations and disclosures of 
reimbursement filed under subparagraph (1) and the itinerary and 
expenses sent to the Clerk by the Committee on Standards of Official 
Conduct under paragraph (e)(2)(B). The information shall remain 
available on the website until the individual no longer serves as a 
Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or employee of the 
House.''.
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