[House Report 104-341]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



104th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 1st Session                                                    104-341
_______________________________________________________________________



                           PROVIDING FOR THE 
 
    CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 250, THE HOUSE GIFT REFORM RULE

                                _______


 November 15, 1995.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

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   Mr. Solomon, from the Committee on Rules, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                       [To accompany H. Res. 268]

    The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration 
House Resolution 268, by a non-record vote, report the same to 
the House with the recommendation that the resolution be 
adopted.

               brief summary of provisions of resolution

    The resolution provides for the consideration in the House, 
without intervening point of order, of House Resolution 250, 
the House Gift Reform Rule, as modified by the amendments 
recommended by the Rules Committee. The rule provides that the 
previous question is considered as ordered on the resolution to 
adoption without intervening motion except that: (1) there 
shall be 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on 
Rules; (2) it is in order to consider an amendment in the 
nature of a substitute printed in the Rules Committee report if 
offered by Representative Burton of Indiana or his designee, 
debatable for 30 minutes; and (3) if the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute is not agreed to or is not offered, it 
is in order to consider the amendment printed in the Rules 
Committee report if offered by Representative Gingrich or his 
designee, debatable for 30 minutes. Finally, the rule waives 
all points of order against the amendments printed in this 
report.

                            committee votes

    Pursuant to clause 2(l)(2)(B) of House rule XI the results 
of each rollcall vote on an amendment or motion to report, 
together with the names of those voting for and against, are 
printed below:

                    rules committee rollcall no. 256

    Date: November 15, 1995.
    Measure: Rule for consideration of House Resolution 250, 
the House Gift Rule.
    Motion by: Mr. Moakley.
    Summary of motion: Substitute an open rule.
    Results: Rejected, 4 to 8.
    Vote by Members: Quillen--Nay; Goss--Nay; Linder--Nay; 
Pryce--Nay; Diaz-Balart--Nay; McInnis--Nay; Waldholtz--Nay; 
Moakley--Yea; Beilenson--Yea; Frost--Yea; Hall--Yea; Solomon--
Nay.

                    rules committee rollcall no. 257

    Date: November 15, 1995.
    Measure: Rule for consideration of House Resolution 250, 
the House Gift Rule.
    Motion by: Mr. Beilenson.
    Summary of motion: Allow for a vote first on an amendment 
by Representatives Waldholtz or Bryant consisting of the text 
of House Resolution 250, debatable for 30 minutes.
    Results: Rejected, 4 to 8.
    Vote by Members: Quillen--Nay; Goss--Nay; Linder--Nay; 
Pryce--Nay; Diaz-Balart--Nay; McInnis--Nay; Waldholtz--Nay; 
Moakley--Yea; Beilenson--Yea; Frost--Yea; Hall--Yea; Solomon--
Nay.

                                 PART 1

The Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Burton of Indiana or His 
                   Designee, Debatable for 30 Minutes

    Strike all after the resolving clause and insert:

SECTION 1. GIFT DISCLOSURE.

    (a) Financial Disclosure.--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) Gift 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), (c), and 
(d), 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 of--
          ``(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 contributed in a tangible way 
        to the success of the event.
    ``(d) The restrictions contained in paragraphs (a), (b), 
and (c) shall not apply to a Member who is attending an event 
in the Member's congressional district.''.
                              ----------                              


                                 PART 2

 The Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Gingrich of Georgia or 
                 His Designee, Debatable for 30 Minutes

    Page 2, line 3, strike ``(1)'' and strike lines 6 through 
15.
    Page 7, strike lines 1 through 5, and page 9, strike lines 
15 through 16 and redesignate paragraphs (13) through (22) as 
paragraphs (12) through (21).
    Page 10, line 9, insert a period after ``individual'' and 
strike ``if others'' and all that follows through line 12.
    Page 13, beginning in line 24 strike ``3 days exclusive of 
travel time within the United States'' and insert ``4 days 
within the United States''.
    Page 14, insert a period after ``employee'' in line 17 and 
strike ``subject to'' and all that follows through line 23.

                                
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