[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8941-S8942]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                             By Mr. WARNER:

  S. 1369. A bill to provide that Federal employees may retain for 
personal use

[[Page S8942]]

promotional items received as a result of travel taken in the course of 
employment; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation that 
will allow Federal employees to keep frequent flyer miles they receive 
while on official government travel. This will level the playing field 
between Federal employees and their counterparts in the private sector 
where companies traditionally allow employees to retain frequent flyer 
miles and similar benefits earned while on business travel.
  In 1994, a law was passed that requires Federal employees to 
surrender their frequent flyer miles back to their agencies. The 
frequent flyer miles would then be used to defray the costs of future 
travel costs by agency personnel.
  A recent review conducted by the Government Accounting Office reports 
that these miles usually become lost, however, in an administrative 
shuffle. Airlines do not keep separate business and personal accounts 
for the same individual. While the law had good intentions, it is 
impractical, if not impossible, for an agency to apply the miles or 
travel benefits elsewhere.
  While travel may be inherent with certain jobs, business related 
travel often impedes on an individual's personal time, time that person 
could be spending with family and at home. Allowing Federal employees 
to keep their frequent flyer miles will also help to support the 
government's ongoing efforts to recruit and retain a skilled, qualified 
workforce. Furthermore, I believe it will boost morale in the federal 
workforce.
  I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and show 
their support for the dedicated employees of the Federal workforce.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1369

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

     SECTION 1. RETENTION OF TRAVEL PROMOTIONAL ITEMS.

       (a) In General.--Section 5702 of title 5, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d);
       (2) in subsection (d) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), 
     by striking ``This section does'' and inserting ``Subsections 
     (a) and (b) do''; and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Promotional items (including frequent flyer miles, 
     upgrades, and access to carrier clubs or facilities) an 
     employee receives as a result of using travel or 
     transportation services procured by the United States or 
     accepted pursuant to section 1353 of title 31 may be retained 
     by the employee for personal use if such promotional items 
     are obtained under the same terms as those offered to the 
     general public and at no additional cost to the 
     Government.''.
       (b) Repeal of Superceded Law.--Section 6008 of the Federal 
     Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (5 U.S.C. 5702 note; 
     Public Law 103-355) is repealed.
       (c) Applicability.--The amendments made by this Act shall 
     apply with respect to promotional items received before, on, 
     or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 ______