[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 114th Congress]
[114th Congress]
[House Document 113-181]
[Rules of the House of Representatives]
[Pages 986-1012]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 
                                Rule XXVI


                          financial disclosure



Sec. 1103. Financial report disclosing certain financial 
interests.

  1.  The Clerk shall send a copy of each report filed with the 
Clerk under title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 within the 
seven-day period beginning on the date on which the report is filed to 
the Committee on Ethics.



[[Page 987]]

  2. For the purposes of this rule, the provisions of title I of the 
Ethics in Government Act of 1978 shall be considered Rules of the House 
as they pertain to Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, 
officers, and employees of the House.


  3. Members of the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics shall 
file annual financial disclosure reports with the Clerk of the House on 
or before May 15 of each calendar year after any year in which they 
perform the duties of that position. Such reports shall be on a form 
prepared by the Clerk that is substantially similar to form 450 of the 
Office of Government Ethics. The Clerk shall send a copy of each such 
report filed with the Clerk within the seven-day period beginning on the 
date on which the report is filed to the Committee on Ethics and shall 
have them printed as a House document and made available to the public 
by August 1 of each year.


[[Page 988]]

101-194). Before the House recodified its rules in the 106th Congress, 
this provision was found in former rule XLIV (H. Res. 5, Jan. 6, 1999, 
p. 47). This rule was redesignated as rule XXVI in the 107th Congress 
(sec. 2(s), H. Res. 5, Jan. 3, 2001, p. 24). Clause 3 was added in the 
110th Congress (H. Res. 895, Mar. 11, 2008, p. 3743). A gender-based 
reference was eliminated in the 111th Congress (sec. 2(l), H. Res. 5, 
Jan. 6, 2009, p. 7). This rule was amended in the 112th Congress to 
reflect a change in committee name (sec. 2(e)(8), H. Res. 5, Jan. 5, 
2011, p. 80). Clause 3 was amended in the 114th Congress to replace an 
archaic reference to clause 1 with an August 1 deadline (sec. 2(h), H. 
Res. 5, Jan. 6, 2015, p. _).
  The original version of this rule (formerly rule XLIV) was adopted in 
the 90th Congress, in the same resolution that redefined the 
jurisdiction of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (now 
Ethics) (H. Res. 1099, Apr. 3, 1968, p. 8803). In the 91st Congress the 
rule was amended, effective for years after 1970, to require public 
disclosure of: (1) honoraria from a single source totaling $300 or more; 
and (2) each creditor to whom was owed an unsecured loan or other 
indebtedness of $10,000 or more outstanding for at least 90 days in the 
preceding calendar year (H. Res. 796, May 26, 1970, p. 17019). It was 
further amended in the 92d Congress to bring the Delegates and Resident 
Commissioner within the definition of ``Members'' in the final sentence 
of the rule (H. Res. 5, Jan. 22, 1971, p. 144; H. Res. 1153, Oct. 13, 
1972, pp. 36021-23), and was amended in the 95th Congress to delete an 
obsolete reference (H. Res. 5, Jan. 4, 1977, pp. 53-70). The rule was 
completely amended in the 95th Congress, effective July 1, 1977, to: (1) 
broaden the sources and minimum amounts of income reported; (2) require 
reports to be filed with the Clerk as well as with the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct; and (3) make reports available to the 
public as printed House documents rather than having them maintained by 
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (H. Res. 287, Mar. 2, 
1977, pp. 5933-53), but this last requirement was repealed in the 113th 
Congress (sec. 2(f), H. Res. 5, Jan. 3, 2013, p. _). The rule was again 
amended in the 96th Congress to incorporate by reference the relevant 
provisions of title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 as they 
pertain to Members, officers, and employees of the House (H. Res. 5, 
Jan. 15, 1979, pp. 7-16). Clause 1 was amended by the Ethics Reform Act 
of 1989 to make conforming changes in certain dates (P.L.


  For an in-depth discussion of this rule prepared by the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct (now Ethics), see the House Ethics Manual 
(110th Cong., 2d Sess.). For a requirement that the Clerk make financial 
disclosure reports available to the public in electronic form, see 
section 8 of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 
(P.L. 112-105, as amended by P.L. 113-7).


  Pertinent provisions of title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 
1978 (5 U.S.C. App. 101-111) follow:


     Title I--Financial Disclosure Requirements of Federal Personnel


                        persons required to file


  Sec. 101. (a) Within thirty days of assuming the position of an 
officer or employee described in subsection (f), an individual shall 
file a report containing the information described in section 102(b) 
unless the individual has left another position described in subsection 
(f) within thirty days prior to assuming such new position or has 
already filed a report under this title with respect to nomination for 
the new position or as a candidate for the position.


                                  * * *


[[Page 989]]

  (c) Within thirty days of becoming a candidate as defined in section 
301 of the Federal Campaign Act of 1971, in a calendar year for 
nomination or election to the office of President, Vice President, or 
Member of Congress, or on or before May 15 of that calendar year, 
whichever is later, but in no event later than 30 days before the 
election, and on or before May 15 of each successive year an individual 
continues to be a candidate, an individual other than an incumbent 
President, Vice President, or Member of Congress shall file a report 
containing the information described in section 102(b). Notwithstanding 
the preceding sentence, in any calendar year in which an individual 
continues to be a candidate for any office but all elections for such 
office relating to such candidacy were held in prior calendar years, 
such individual need not file a report unless he becomes a candidate for 
another vacancy in that office or another office during that year.

  (d) Any individual who is an officer or employee described in 
subsection (f) during any calendar year and performs the duties of his 
position or office for a period in excess of sixty days in that calendar 
year shall file on or before May 15 of the succeeding year a report 
containing the information described in section 102(a).

  (e) Any individual who occupies a position described in subsection (f) 
shall, on or before the thirtieth day after termination of employment in 
such position, file a report containing the information described in 
section 102(a) covering the preceding calendar year if the report 
required by subsection (d) has not been filed and covering the portion 
of the calendar year in which such termination occurs up to the date the 
individual left such office or position, unless such individual has 
accepted employment in another position described in subsection (f).

  (f) The officers and employees referred to in subsections (a), (d), 
and (e) are-- * * *

  (9) a Member of Congress as defined under section 109(12);


  (10) an officer or employee of the Congress as defined under section 
109(13);


                                  * * *

  (g)(1) Reasonable extensions of time for filing any report may be 
granted under procedures prescribed by the supervising ethics office for 
each branch, but the total of such extensions shall not exceed ninety 
days. * * *

  (h) The provisions of subsections (a), (b), and (e) shall not apply to 
an individual who, as determined by the designated agency ethics 
official or Secretary concerned (or in the case of a Presidential 
appointee under subsection (b), the Director of the Office of Government 
Ethics), the congressional ethics committees, or the Judicial 
Conference, is not reasonably expected to perform the duties of his 
office or position for more than sixty days in a calendar year, except 
that if such individual performs the duties of his office or position 
for more than sixty days in a calendar year--

          (1) the report required by subsections (a) and (b) shall be 

        filed within fifteen days of the sixtieth day, and

          (2) the report required by subsection (e) shall be filed as 

        provided in such subsection.

  (i) The supervising ethics office for each branch may grant a publicly 
available request for a waiver of any reporting requirement under this 
section for an individual who is expected to perform or has performed 
the duties of his office or position less than one hundred and thirty 
days in a calendar year, but only if the supervising ethics office 
determines that--

          (1) such individual is not a full-time employee of the 

        Government,

          (2) such individual is able to provide services specially 

        needed by the Government,

          (3) it is unlikely that the individual's outside employment or 


[[Page 990]]

        financial interests will create a conflict of interest, and

          (4) public financial disclosure by such individual is not 


        necessary in the circumstances.


                           contents of reports

  Sec. 102. (a) Each report filed pursuant to section 101 (d) and (e) 
shall include a full and complete statement with respect to the 
following:

  (1)(A) The source, type, and amount or value of income (other than 
income referred to in subparagraph (B)) from any source (other than from 
current employment by the United States Government), and the source, 
date, and amount of honoraria from any source, received during the 
preceding calendar year, aggregating $200 or more in value and, 
effective January 1, 1991, the source, date, and amount of payments made 
to charitable organizations in lieu of honoraria, and the reporting 
individual shall simultaneously file with the applicable supervising 
ethics office, on a confidential basis, a corresponding list of 
recipients of all such payments, together with the dates and amounts of 
such payments.

  (B) The source and type of income which consists of dividends, rents, 
interest, and capital gains, received during the preceding calendar year 
which exceeds $200 in amount or value, and an indication of which of the 
following categories the amount or value of such item of income is 
within:

          (i) not more than $1,000,

          (ii) greater than $1,000 but not more than $2,500,

          (iii) greater than $2,500 but not more than $5,000,

          (iv) greater than $5,000 but not more than $15,000,

          (v) greater than $15,000 but not more than $50,000,

          (vi) greater than $50,000 but not more than $100,000,

          (vii) greater than $100,000 but not more than $1,000,000,

          (viii) greater than $1,000,000 but not more than $5,000,000, 

        or

          (ix) greater than $5,000,000.

  (2)(A) The identity of the source, a brief description, and the value 
of all gifts aggregating more than the minimal value as established by 
section 7342(a)(5) of title 5, United States Code, or $250, whichever is 
greater, received from any source other than a relative of the reporting 
individual during the preceding calendar year, except that any food, 
lodging, or entertainment received as personal hospitality of an 
individual need not be reported, and any gift with a fair market value 
of $100 or less, as adjusted at the same time and by the same percentage 
as the minimal value is adjusted, need not be aggregated for purposes of 
this subparagraph.

  (B) The identity of the source and a brief description (including a 
travel itinerary, dates, and nature of expenses provided) of 
reimbursements received from any source aggregating more than the 
minimal value as established by section 7342(a)(5) of title 5, United 
States Code, or $250, whichever is greater, and received during the 
preceding calendar year.


[[Page 991]]

  (C) In an unusual case, a gift need not be aggregated under 
subparagraph (A) if a publicly available request for a waiver is 
granted.

  (3) The identity and category of value of any interest in property 
held during the preceding calendar year in a trade or business, or for 
investment or the production of income, which has a fair market value 
which exceeds $1,000 as of the close of the preceding calendar year, 
excluding any personal liability owed to the reporting individual by a 
spouse, or by a parent, brother, sister, or child of the reporting 
individual or of the reporting individual's spouse, or any deposits 
aggregating $5,000 or less in a personal savings account. For purposes 
of this paragraph, a personal savings account shall include any 
certificate of deposit or any other form of deposit in a bank, savings 
and loan association, credit union, or similar financial institution.

  (4) The identity and category of value of the total liabilities owed 
to any creditor other than a spouse, or a parent, brother, sister, or 
child of the reporting individual or of the reporting individual's 
spouse which exceed $10,000 at any time during the preceding calendar 
year, excluding--

          (A) any mortgage secured by real property which is a personal 

        residence of the reporting individual or his spouse, except that 

        this exception shall not apply to a reporting individual--

                  (i) described in paragraph (1), (2), or (9) of section 

                101(f);

                  (ii) described in section 101(b) who has been 

                nominated for appointment as an officer or employee in 

                the executive branch described in subsection (f) of such 

                section, other than--

                    (I) an individual appointed to a position--

                    (II) a special government employee, as defined under 

                section 202 of title 18, United States Code; or

                  (iii) described in section 101(f) who is in a position 

                in the executive branch the appointment to which is made 

                by the President and requires advice and consent of the 

                Senate, other than--

                    (I) an individual appointed to a position--

                    (II) a special government employee, as defined under 

                section 202 of title 18, United States Code; and

          (B) any loan secured by a personal motor vehicle, household 

        furniture, or appliances, which loan does not exceed the 



[[Page 992]]


With respect to revolving charge accounts, only those with an 
outstanding liability which exceeds $10,000 as of the close of the 
preceding calendar year need be reported under this paragraph.
        purchase price of the item which secures it.

  (5) Except as provided in this paragraph, a brief description, the 
date, and category of value of any purchase, sale or exchange during the 
preceding calendar year exceeds $1,000--

          (A) in real property, other than property used solely as a 

        personal residence of the reporting individual or his spouse; or

          (B) in stocks, bonds, commodities futures, and other forms of 


Reporting is not required under this paragraph of any transaction solely 
by and between the reporting individual, his spouse, or dependent 
children.
        securities.

  (6)(A) The identity of all positions held on or before the date of 
filing during the current calendar year (and, for the first report filed 
by an individual, during the two-year period preceding such calendar 
year) as an officer, director, trustee, partner, proprietor, 
representative, employee, or consultant of any corporation, company, 
firm, partnership, or other business enterprise, any nonprofit 
organization, any labor organization, or any educational or other 
institution other than the United States. This subparagraph shall not 
require the reporting of positions held in any religious, social, 
fraternal, or political entity and positions solely of an honorary 
nature.

  (B) If any person, other than the United States Government, paid a 
nonelected reporting individual compensation in excess of $5,000 in any 
of the two calendar years prior to the calendar year during which the 
individual files his first report under this title, the individual shall 
include in the report--

          (i) the identity of each source of such compensation; and

          (ii) a brief description of the nature of the duties performed 

        or services rendered by the reporting individual for each such 


The preceding sentence shall not require any individual to include in 
such report any information which is considered confidential as a result 
of a privileged relationship, established by law, between such 
individual and any person nor shall it require an individual to report 
any information with respect to any person for whom services were 
provided by any firm or association of which such individual was a 
member, partner, or employee unless such individual was directly 
involved in the provision of such services.
        source.

  (7) A description of the date, parties to, and terms of any agreement 
or arrangement with respect to (A) future employment; (B) a leave of 
absence during the period of the reporting individual's Government 
service; (C) continuation of payments by a former employer other than 
the United States Government; and (D) continuing participation in an 
employee welfare or benefit plan maintained by a former employer.


[[Page 993]]

cuted prior to July 24, 1995 and precludes the beneficiary from 
receiving information on the total cash value of any interest in the 
qualified blind trust.
  (8) The category of the total cash value of any interest of the 
reporting individual in a qualified blind trust, unless the trust 
instrument was exe

  (b)(1) Each report filed pursuant to subsections (a), (b), and (c) of 
section 101 shall include a full and complete statement with respect to 
the information required by--

          (A) paragraph (1) of subsection (a) for the year of filing and 

        the preceding calendar year,

          (B) paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (a) as of the date 

        specified in the report but which is less than thirty-one days 

        before the filing date, and

          (C) paragraphs (6) and (7) of subsection (a) as of the filing 

        date but for periods described in such paragraphs.

  (2)(A) In lieu of filling out one or more schedules of a financial 
disclosure form, an individual may supply the required information in an 
alternative format, pursuant to either rules adopted by the supervising 
ethics office for the branch in which such individual serves or pursuant 
to a specific written determination by such office for a reporting 
individual.

  (B) In lieu of indicating the category of amount or value of any item 
contained in any report filed under this title, a reporting individual 
may indicate the exact dollar amount of such item.

  (c) In the case of any individual described in section 101(e), any 
reference to the preceding calendar year shall be considered also to 
include that part of the calendar year of filing up to the date of the 
termination of employment.

  (d)(1) The categories for reporting the amount or value of the items 
covered in paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (8) of subsection (a) are as 
follows:

          (A) not more than $15,000;

          (B) greater than $15,000 but not more than $50,000;

          (C) greater than $50,000 but not more than $100,000;

          (D) greater than $100,000 but not more than $250,000;

          (E) greater than $250,000 but not more than $500,000;

          (F) greater than $500,000 but not more than $1,000,000;

          (G) greater than $1,000,000 but not more than $5,000,000;

          (H) greater than $5,000,000 but not more than $25,000,000;

          (I) greater than $25,000,000 but not more than $50,000,000; 

        and

          (J) greater than $50,000,000.


[[Page 994]]

of specifying a category of value pursuant to paragraph (1) of this 
subsection. If the current value of any other item required to be 
reported under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) is not ascertainable 
without an appraisal, such individual may list the book value of a 
corporation whose stock is not publicly traded, the net worth of a 
business partnership, the equity value of an individually owned 
business, or with respect to other holdings, any recognized indication 
of value, but such individual shall include in his report a full and 
complete description of the method used in determining such value. In 
lieu of any value referred to in the preceding sentence, an individual 
may list the assessed value of the item for tax purposes, adjusted to 
reflect the market value of the item used for the assessment if the 
assessed value is computed at less than 100 percent of such market 
value, but a full and complete description of the method used in 
determining such assessed value shall be included in the report.
  (2) For the purposes of paragraph (3) of subsection (a) if the current 
value of an interest in real property (or an interest in a real estate 
partnership) is not ascertainable without an appraisal, an individual 
may list (A) the date of purchase and the purchase price of the interest 
in the real property, or (B) the assessed value of the real property for 
tax purposes, adjusted to reflect the market value of the property used 
for the assessment if the assessed value is computed at less than 100 
percent of such market value, but such individual shall include in his 
report a full and complete description of the method used to determine 
such assessed value, instead

  (e)(1) Except as provided in the last sentence of this paragraph, each 
report required by section 101 shall also contain information listed in 
paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a) of this section respecting 
the spouse or dependent child of the reporting individual as follows:

          (A) The source of items of earned income earned by a spouse 

        from any person which exceed $1,000 and the source and amount of 

        any honoraria received by a spouse, except that, with respect to 

        earned income (other than honoraria), if the spouse is self-

        employed in business or a profession, only the nature of such 

        business or profession need be reported.

          (B) All information required to be reported in subsection 

        (a)(1)(B) with respect to income derived by a spouse or 

        dependent child from any asset held by the spouse or dependent 

        child and reported pursuant to subsection (a)(3).

          (C) In the case of any gifts received by a spouse or dependent 

        child which are not received totally independent of the 

        relationship of the spouse or dependent child to the reporting 

        individual, the identity of the source and a brief description 

        of gifts of transportation, lodging, food, or entertainment and 

        a brief description and the value of other gifts.

          (D) In the case of any reimbursements received by a spouse or 

        dependent child which are not received totally independent of 

        the relationship of the spouse or dependent child to the 

        reporting individual, the identity of the source and a brief 

        description of each such reimbursement.

          (E) In the case of items described in paragraphs (3) through 

        (5) of subsection (a), all information required to be reported 

        under these paragraphs other than items (i) which the reporting 

        individual certifies represent the spouse's or dependent child's 

        sole financial interest or responsibility and which the 

        reporting individual has no knowledge of, (ii) which are not in 

        any way, past or present, derived from the income, assets, or 


[[Page 995]]

        activities of the reporting individual, and

        (iii) from which the reporting individual neither derives, nor 

        expects to derive, any financial or economic benefit.

          (F) For purposes of this section, categories with amounts or 

        values greater than $1,000,000 set forth in sections 

        102(a)(1)(B) and 102(d)(1) shall apply to the income, assets, or 

        liabilities of spouses and dependent children only if the 

        income, assets, or liabilities are held jointly with the 

        reporting individual. All other income, assets, or liabilities 

        of the spouse or dependent children required to be reported 

        under this section in an amount or value greater than $1,000,000 

        shall be categorized only as an amount or value greater than 


Reports required by subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 101 shall, 
with respect to the spouse and dependent child of the reporting 
individual, only contain information listed in paragraphs (1), (3), and 
(4) of subsection (a), as specified in this paragraph.
        $1,000,000.

  (2) No report shall be required with respect to a spouse living 
separate and apart from the reporting individual with the intention of 
terminating the marriage or providing for permanent separation; or with 
respect to any income or obligations of an individual arising from the 
dissolution of his marriage or the permanent separation from his spouse.

  (f)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), each reporting individual 
shall report the information required to be reported pursuant to 
subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section with respect to the 
holdings of and the income from a trust or other financial arrangement 
from which income is received by, or with respect to which a beneficial 
interest in principal or income is held by, such individual, his spouse, 
or any dependent child.

  (2) A reporting individual need not report the holdings of or the 
source of income from any of the holdings of--

          (A) any qualified blind trust (as defined in paragraph (3));

          (B) a trust--

                  (i) which was not created directly by such individual, 

                his spouse, or any dependent child, and

                  (ii) the holdings or sources of income of which such 

                individual, his spouse, and any dependent child have no 

                knowledge of; or

          (C) an entity described under the provisions of paragraph (8), 

        but such individual shall report the category of the amount of 

        income received by him, his spouse, or any dependent child from 

        the trust or other entity under subsection (a)(1)(B) of this 

        section.

  (3) For purpose of this subsection, the term ``qualified blind trust'' 
includes any trust in which a reporting individual, his spouse, or any 
minor or dependent child has a beneficial interest in the principal or 
income, and which meets the following requirements:

          (A)(i) The trustee of the trust and any other entity 

        designated in the trust instrument to perform fiduciary duties 

        is a financial institution, an attorney, a certified public 


[[Page 996]]

        accountant, a broker, or an investment advisor who--

                  (I) is independent of and not associated with any 

                interested party so that the trustee or other person 

                cannot be controlled or influenced in the administration 

                of the trust by any interested party;

                  (II) is not and has not been an employee of or 

                affiliated with any interested party and is not a 

                partner of, or involved in any joint venture or other 

                investment with, any interested party; and

                  (III) is not a relative of any interested party.

              (ii) Any officer or employee of a trustee or other entity 

            who is involved in the management or control of the trust--

                  (I) is independent of and not associated with any 

                interested party so that such officer or employee cannot 

                be controlled or influenced in the administration of the 

                trust by any interested party;

                  (II) is not a partner of, or involved in any joint 

                venture or other investment with, any interested party; 

                and

                  (III) is not a relative of any interested party.

          (B) Any asset transferred to the trust by an interested party 

        is free of any restriction with respect to its transfer or sale 

        unless such restriction is expressly approved by the supervising 

        ethics office of the reporting individual.

          (C) The trust instrument which establishes the trust provides 

        that--

                  (i) except to the extent provided in subparagraph (B) 

                of this paragraph, the trustee in the exercise of his 

                authority and discretion to manage and control the 

                assets of the trust shall not consult or notify any 

                interested party;

                  (ii) the trust shall not contain any asset the holding 

                of which by an interested party is prohibited by any law 

                or regulation;

                  (iii) the trustee shall promptly notify the reporting 

                individual and his supervising ethics office when the 

                holdings of any particular asset transferred to the 

                trust by any interested party are disposed of or when 

                the value of such holding is less than $1,000;

                  (iv) the trust tax return shall be prepared by the 

                trustee or his designee, and such return and any 

                information relating thereto (other than the trust 

                income summarized in appropriate categories necessary to 

                complete an interested party's tax return), shall not be 

                disclosed to any interested party;

                  (v) an interested party shall not receive any report 

                on the holdings and sources of income of the trust, 

                except a report at the end of each calendar quarter with 

                respect to the total cash value of the interest of the 

                interested party in the trust or the net income or loss 

                of the trust or any reports necessary to enable the 


[[Page 997]]

                interested party to complete an individual tax return re

                quired by law or to provide the information required by 

                subsection (a)(1) of this section, but such report shall 

                not identify any asset or holding;

                  (vi) except for communications which solely consist of 

                requests for distributions of cash or other unspecified 

                assets of the trust, there shall be no direct or 

                indirect communication between the trustee and an 

                interested party with respect to the trust unless such 

                communication is in writing and unless it relates only 

                (I) to the general financial interest and needs of the 

                interested party (including, but not limited to, an 

                interest in maximizing income or long-term capital 

                gain), (II) to the notification of the trustee of a law 

                or regulation subsequently applicable to the reporting 

                individual which prohibits the interested party from 

                holding an asset, which notification directs that the 

                asset not be held by the trust, or (III) to directions 

                to the trustee to sell all of an asset initially placed 

                in the trust by an interested party which in the 

                determination of the reporting individual creates a 

                conflict of interest or the appearance thereof due to 

                the subsequent assumption of duties by the reporting 

                individual (but nothing herein shall require any such 

                direction); and

                  (vii) the interested parties shall make no effort to 

                obtain information with respect to the holdings of the 

                trust, including obtaining a copy of any trust tax 

                return filed or any information relating thereto except 

                as otherwise provided in this subsection.

          (D) The proposed trust instrument and the proposed trustee is 

        approved by the reporting individual's supervising ethics 

        office.

          (E) For purposes of this subsection, ``interested party'' 

        means a reporting individual, his spouse, and any minor or 

        dependent child; ``broker'' has the meaning set forth in section 

        3(a)(4) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 

        78c(a)(4)); and ``investment adviser'' includes any investment 

        adviser who, as determined under regulations prescribed by the 

        supervising ethics office, is generally involved in his role as 

        such an adviser in the management or control of trusts.

          (F) Any trust qualified by a supervising ethics office before 

        the effective date of title II of the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 

        shall continue to be governed by the law and regulations in 

        effect immediately before such effective date.

  (4)(A) An asset placed in a trust by an interested party shall be 
considered a financial interest of the reporting individual, for the 
purposes of any applicable conflict of interest statutes, regulations, 
or rules of the Federal Government (including section 208 of title 18, 
United States Code), until such time as the reporting individual is 
notified by the trustee that such asset has been disposed of, or has a 
value of less than $1,000.


[[Page 998]]

dependent child, or minor child of such a person, if the supervising 
ethics office for such reporting individual finds that--
  (B)(i) The provisions of subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect 
to a trust created for the benefit of a reporting individual, or the 
spouse,

          (I) the assets placed in the trust consist of a well-

        diversified portfolio of readily marketable securities;

          (II) none of the assets consist of securities of entities 

        having substantial activities in the area of the reporting 

        individual's primary area of responsibility;

          (III) the trust instrument prohibits the trustee, 

        notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (3)(C) (iii) and 

        (iv) of this subsection, from making public or informing any 

        interested party of the sale of any securities;

          (IV) the trustee is given power of attorney, notwithstanding 

        the provisions of paragraph (3)(C)(v) of this subsection, to 

        prepare on behalf of any interested party the personal income 

        tax returns and similar returns which may contain information 

        relating to the trust; and

          (V) except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the trust 

        instrument provides (or in the case of a trust established prior 

        to the effective date of this Act which by its terms does not 

        permit amendment, the trustee, the reporting individual, and any 

        other interested party agree in writing) that the trust shall be 

        administered in accordance with the requirements of this 

        subsection and the trustee of such trust meets the requirements 


        of paragraph (3)(A).


                                  * * *

  (5)(A) The reporting individual shall, within thirty days after a 
qualified blind trust is approved by his supervising ethics office, file 
with such office a copy of--

          (i) the executed trust instrument of such trust (other than 

        those provisions which relate to the testamentary disposition of 

        the trust assets), and

          (ii) a list of the assets which were transferred to such 

        trust, including the category of value of each asset as 


This subparagraph shall not apply with respect to a trust meeting the 
requirements for being considered a qualified blind trust under 
paragraph (7) of this subsection.
        determined under subsection (d) of this section.

  (B) The reporting individual shall, within thirty days of transferring 
an asset (other than cash) to a previously established qualified blind 
trust, notify his supervising ethics office of the identity of each such 
asset and the category of value of each asset as determined under 
subsection (d) of this section.

  (C) Within thirty days of the dissolution of a qualified blind trust, 
a reporting individual shall--

          (i) notify his supervising ethics office of such dissolution, 


[[Page 999]]

        and

          (ii) file with such office a copy of a list of the assets of 

        the trust at the time of such dissolution and the category of 

        value under subsection (d) of this section of each such asset.

  (D) Documents filed under subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of this 
paragraph and the lists provided by the trustee of assets placed in the 
trust by an interested party which have been sold shall be made 
available to the public in the same manner as a report is made available 
under section 105 and the provisions of that section shall apply with 
respect to such documents and lists.

  (E) A copy of each written communication with respect to the trust 
under paragraph (3)(C)(vi) shall be filed by the person initiating the 
communication with the reporting individual's supervising ethics office 
within five days of the date of the communication.

  (6)(A) A trustee of a qualified blind trust shall not knowingly and 
willfully, or negligently, (i) disclose any information to an interested 
party with respect to such trust that may not be disclosed under 
paragraph (3) of this subsection; (ii) acquire any holding the ownership 
of which is prohibited by the trust instrument; (iii) solicit advice 
from any interested party with respect to such trust, which solicitation 
is prohibited by paragraph (3) of this subsection or the trust 
agreement; or (iv) fail to file any document required by this 
subsection.

  (B) A reporting individual shall not knowingly and willfully, or 
negligently, (i) solicit or receive any information with respect to a 
qualified blind trust of which he is an interested party that may not be 
disclosed under paragraph (3)(C) of this subsection or (ii) fail to file 
any document required by this subsection.

  (C)(i) The Attorney General may bring a civil action in any 
appropriate United States district court against any individual who 
knowingly and willfully violates the provisions of subparagraph (A) or 
(B) of this paragraph. The court in which such action is brought may 
assess against such individual a civil penalty in any amount not to 
exceed $10,000.

  (ii) The Attorney General may bring a civil action in any appropriate 
United States district court against any individual who negligently 
violates the provisions of subparagraph (A) or (B) of this paragraph. 
The court in which such action is brought may assess against such 
individual a civil penalty in any amount not to exceed $5,000.

  (7) Any trust may be considered to be a qualified blind trust if--

          (A) the trust instrument is amended to comply with the 

        requirements of paragraph (3) or, in the case of a trust 

        instrument which does not by its terms permit amendment, the 

        trustee, the reporting individual, and any other interested 

        party agree in writing that the trust shall be administered in 

        accordance with the requirements of this subsection and the 

        trustee of such trust meets the requirements of paragraph 

        (3)(A); except that in the case of any interested party who is a 

        dependent child, a parent or guardian of such child may execute 


[[Page 1000]]

        the agreement referred to in this subparagraph;

          (B) a copy of the trust instrument (except testamentary 

        provisions) and a copy of the agreement referred to in 

        subparagraph (A), and a list of the assets held by the trust at 

        the time of approval by the supervising ethics office, including 

        the category of value of each asset as determined under 

        subsection (d) of this section, are filed with such office and 

        made available to the public as provided under paragraph (5)(D) 

        of this subsection; and

          (C) the supervising ethics office determines that approval of 

        the trust arrangement as a qualified blind trust is in the 

        particular case appropriate to assure compliance with applicable 

        laws and regulations.

  (8) A reporting individual shall not be required to report the 
financial interests held by a widely held investment fund (whether such 
fund is a mutual fund, regulated investment company, pension or deferred 
compensation plan, or other investment fund), if--

          (A)(i) the fund is publicly traded; or

          (ii) the assets of the fund are widely diversified; and

          (B) the reporting individual neither exercises control over 

        nor has the ability to exercise control over the financial 

        interests held by the fund.

  (g) Political campaign funds, including campaign receipts and 
expenditures, need not be included in any report filed pursuant to this 
title.

  (h) A report filed pursuant to subsection (a), (d), or (e) of section 
101 need not contain the information described in subparagraphs (A), 
(B), and (C) of subsection (a)(2) with respect to gifts and 
reimbursements received in a period when the reporting individual was 
not an officer or employee of the Federal Government.

  (i) A reporting individual shall not be required under this title to 
report--

          (1) financial interests in or income derived from--

                  (A) any retirement system under title 5, United States 

                Code (including the Thrift Savings Plan under subchapter 

                III of chapter 84 of such title); or

                  (B) any other retirement system maintained by the 

                United States for officers or employees of the United 

                States, including the President, or for members of the 

                uniformed services; or


          (2) benefits received under the Social Security Act.


                            filing of reports



[[Page 1001]]



  Sec. 103. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the 
reports required under this title shall be filed by the reporting 
individual with the designated agency ethics official at the agency by 
which he is employed (or in the case of an individual described in 
section 101(e), was employed) or in which he will serve. The date any 
report is received (and the date of receipt of any supplemental report) 
shall be noted on such report by such official.


                                  * * *

  (g) Each supervising Ethics Office shall develop and make available 
forms for reporting the information required by this title.

  (h)(1) The reports required under this title shall be filed by a 
reporting individual with--

          (A)(i)(I) the Clerk of the House of Representatives, in the 

        case of a Representative in Congress, a Delegate to Congress, 

        the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, an officer or 

        employee of the Congress whose compensation is disbursed by the 

        Clerk of the House of Representatives, an officer or employee of 

        the Architect of the Capitol, United States Capitol Police, the 

        United States Botanic Garden, the Congressional Budget Office, 

        the Government Publishing Office, the Library of Congress, or 

        the Copyright Royalty Tribunal (including any individual 

        terminating service, under section 101(e), in any office or 

        position referred to in this subclause), or an individual 

        described in section 101(c) who is a candidate for nomination or 

        election as a Representative in Congress, a Delegate to 


        Congress, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico;


                                  * * *

          (ii) in the case of an officer or employee of the Congress as 

        described under section 101(f)(10) who is employed by an agency 

        or commission established in the legislative branch after the 

        date of the enactment of the Ethics Reform Act of 1989--

                  (I) the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the 

                House of Representatives, as the case may be, as 

                designated in the statute establishing such agency or 

                commission; or

                  (II) if such statute does not designate such 

                committee, the Secretary of the Senate for agencies and 

                commissions established in even numbered calendar years, 

                and the Clerk of the House of Representatives for 

                agencies and commissions established in odd numbered 


                calendar years;


                                  * * *

          (2) The date any report is received (and the date of receipt 

        of any supplemental report) shall be noted on such report by 

        such committee.


[[Page 1002]]

  (i)(1) A copy of each report filed under this title by a Member or an 
individual who is a candidate for the office of Member shall be sent by 
the Clerk of the House of Representatives or Secretary of the Senate, as 
the case may be, to the appropriate State officer designated under 
section 316(a) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 of the State 
represented by the Member or in which the individual is a candidate, as 
the case may be, within the 30-day period beginning on the day the 
report is filed with the Clerk or Secretary.

  (2) The requirements of paragraph (1) do not apply to any report filed 
under this title which is filed electronically and for which there is 
online public access, in accordance with the systems developed by the 
Secretary and Sergeant at Arms of the Senate and the Clerk of the House 
of Representatives under section 8(b) of the Stop Trading on 
Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012.


  (j)(1) A copy of each report filed under this title with the Clerk of 
the House of Representatives shall be sent by the Clerk to the Committee 
on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives within 
the 7-day period beginning on the day the report is filed.


                                  * * *

  (k) In carrying out their responsibilities under this title with 
respect to candidates for office, the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate shall avail themselves 
of the assistance of the Federal Election Commission. The Commission 
shall make available to the Clerk and the Secretary on a regular basis a 
complete list of names and addresses of all candidates registered with 
the Commission, and shall cooperate and coordinate its candidate 
information and notification program with the Clerk and the Secretary to 
the greatest extent possible.


  (l) Not later than 30 days after receiving notification of any 
transaction required to be reported under section 102(a)(5)(B), but in 
no case later than 45 days after such transaction, the following 
persons, if required to file a report under any subsection of section 
101, subject to any waivers and exclusions, shall file a report of the 
transaction:


                                  * * *

          (9) A Member of Congress, as defined under section 109(12).

          (10) An officer or employee of the Congress, as defined under 


        section 109(13).


                 failure to file or filing false reports

  Sec. 104. (a)(1) The Attorney General may bring a civil action in any 
appropriate United States district court against any individual who 
knowingly and willfully falsifies or who knowingly and willfully fails 
to file or report any information that such individual is required to 
report pursuant to section 102. The court in which such action is 
brought may assess against such individual a civil penalty in any 
amount, not to exceed $50,000.

  (2)(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly and 
willfully--

          (i) falsify any information that such person is required to 

        report under section 102; and

          (ii) fail to file or report any information that such person 

        is required to report under section 102.


[[Page 1003]]

  (B) Any person who--

          (i) violates subparagraph (A)(i) shall be fined under title 

        18, United States Code, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or 

        both; and

          (ii) violates subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be fined under title 

        18, United States Code.

  (b) The head of each agency, each Secretary concerned, the Director of 
the Office of Government Ethics, each congressional ethics committee, or 
the Judicial Conference, as the case may be, shall refer to the Attorney 
General the name of any individual which such official or committee has 
reasonable cause to believe has willfully failed to file a report or has 
willfully falsified or willfully failed to file information required to 
be reported.

  (c) The President, the Vice President, the Secretary concerned, the 
head of each agency, the Office of Personnel Management, a congressional 
ethics committee, and the Judicial Conference of the United States, may 
take any appropriate personnel or other action in accordance with 
applicable law or regulation against any individual failing to file a 
report or falsifying or failing to report information required to be 
reported.

  (d)(1) Any individual who files a report required to be filed under 
this title more than 30 days after the later of--

          (A) the date such report is required to be filed pursuant to 

        the provisions of this title and the rules and regulations 

        promulgated thereunder; or

          (B) if a filing extension is granted to such individual under 

        section 101(g), the last day of the filing extension period, 

        shall, at the direction of and pursuant to regulations issued by 

        the supervising ethics office, pay a filing fee of $200. All 

        such fees shall be deposited in the miscellaneous receipts of 

        the Treasury. The authority under this paragraph to direct the 

        payment of a filing fee may be delegated by the supervising 

        ethics office in the executive branch to other agencies in the 

        executive branch.


  (2) The supervising ethics office may waive the filing fee under this 
subsection in extraordinary circumstances.


                 custody of and public access to reports


  Sec. 105. (a) Each agency, each supervising ethics office in the 
executive or judicial branch, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, 
and the Secretary of the Senate shall make available to the public, in 
accordance with subsection (b), each report filed under this title with 
such agency or office or with the Clerk or the Secretary of the Senate.


                                  * * *


[[Page 1004]]

the case may be, permit inspection of such report by or furnish a copy 
of such report to any person requesting such inspection or copy. With 
respect to any report required to be filed by May 15 of any year, such 
report shall be made available for public inspection within 30 calendar 
days after May 15 of such year or within 30 days of the date of filing 
of such a report for which an extension is granted pursuant to section 
101(g). The agency, office, Clerk, or Secretary of the Senate, as the 
case may be may require a reasonable fee to be paid in any amount which 
is found necessary to recover the cost of reproduction or mailing of 
such report excluding any salary of any employee involved in such 
reproduction or mailing. A copy of such report may be furnished without 
charge or at a reduced charge if it is determined that waiver or 
reduction of the fee is in the public interest.
  (b)(1) Except as provided in the second sentence of this subsection, 
each agency, each supervising ethics office in the executive or judicial 
branch, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, and the Secretary of 
the Senate shall, within thirty days after any report is received under 
this title by such agency or office or by the Clerk or the Secretary of 
the Senate, as

  (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a report may not be made available 
under this section to any person nor may any copy thereof be provided 
under this section to any person except upon a written application by 
such person stating--

          (A) that person's name, occupation and address;

          (B) the name and address of any other person or organization 

        on whose behalf the inspection or copy is requested; and

          (C) that such person is aware of the prohibitions on the 


Any such application shall be made available to the public throughout 
the period during which the report is made available to the public.
        obtaining or use of the report.

  (3)(A) This section does not require the immediate and unconditional 
availability of reports filed by an individual described in section 
109(8) or 109(10) of this Act if a finding is made by the Judicial 
Conference, in consultation with United States Marshals Service, that 
revealing personal and sensitive information could endanger that 
individual.

  (B) A report may be redacted pursuant to this paragraph only--

          (i) to the extent necessary to protect the individual who 

        filed the report; and

          (ii) for as long as the danger to such individual exists.

  (C) The Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall submit 
to the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and 
of the Senate and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform an annual report with respect to the operation of this paragraph 
including--

          (i) the total number of reports redacted pursuant to this 

        paragraph;

          (ii) the total number of individuals whose reports have been 

        redacted pursuant to this paragraph; and

          (iii) the types of threats against individuals whose reports 


[[Page 1005]]

        are redacted, if appropriate.

  (D) The Judicial Conference, in consultation with the Department of 
Justice, shall issue regulations setting forth the circumstances under 
which redaction is appropriate under this paragraph and the procedures 
for redaction.

  (E) This paragraph shall expire on December 31, 2017, and apply to 
filings through calendar year 2017.

  (c)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to obtain or use a report--

          (A) for any unlawful purpose;

          (B) for any commercial purpose, other than by news and 

        communications media for dissemination to the general public;

          (C) for determining or establishing the credit rating of any 

        individual; or

          (D) for use, directly or indirectly, in the solicitation of 

        money for any political, charitable, or other purpose.

  (2) The Attorney General may bring a civil action against any person 
who obtains or uses a report for any purpose prohibited in paragraph (1) 
of this subsection. The court in which such action is brought may assess 
against such person a penalty in any amount not to exceed $10,000. Such 
remedy shall be in addition to any other remedy available under 
statutory or common law.

  (d)(1) Any report filed with or transmitted to an agency or 
supervising ethics office or to the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate pursuant to this title 
shall be retained by such agency or office or by the Clerk of the House 
of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate, as the case may be.

  (2) Such report shall be made available to the public--

          (A) in the case of a Member of Congress until a date that is 6 

        years from the date the individual ceases to be a Member of 

        Congress; and

          (B) in the case of all other reports filed pursuant to this 

        title, for a period of 6 years after receipt of the report.

  (3) After the relevant time period identified under paragraph (2), the 
report shall be destroyed unless needed in an ongoing investigation, 
except that in the case of an individual who filed the report pursuant 
to section 101(b) and was not subsequently confirmed by the Senate, or 
who filed the report pursuant to section 101(c) and was not subsequently 
elected, such reports shall be destroyed 1 year after the individual 
either is no longer under consideration by the Senate or is no longer a 
candidate for nomination or election to the Office of President, Vice 
President, or as a Member of Congress, unless needed in an ongoing 
investigation or inquiry.


[[Page 1006]]

years after receipt of the report. After such six-year period the report 
shall be destroyed unless needed in an ongoing investigation, except 
that in the case of an individual who filed the report pursuant to 
section 101(b) and was not subsequently confirmed by the Senate, or who 
filed the report pursuant to section 101(c) and was not subsequently 
elected, such reports shall be destroyed one year after the individual 
either is no longer under consideration by the Senate or is no longer a 
candidate for nomination or election to the Office of President, Vice 
President, or as a Member of Congress, unless needed in an ongoing 
investigation.

  (d) Any report filed with or transmitted to an agency or supervising 
ethics office or to the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the 
Secretary of the Senate pursuant to this title shall be retained by such 
agency or office or by the Clerk or the Secretary of the Senate, as the 
case may be. Such report shall be made available to the public for a 
period of six


                            review of reports

  Sec. 106. (a)(1) Each designated agency ethics official or Secretary 
concerned shall make provisions to ensure that each report filed with 
him under this title is reviewed within sixty days after the date of 
such filing, except that the Director of the Office of Government Ethics 
shall review only those reports required to be transmitted to him under 
this title within sixty days after the date of transmittal.

  (2) Each congressional ethics committee and the Judicial Conference 
shall make provisions to ensure that each report filed under this title 
is reviewed within sixty days after the date of such filing.

  (b)(1) If after reviewing any report under subsection (a), the 
Director of the Office of Government Ethics, the Secretary concerned, 
the designated agency ethics official, a person designated by the 
congressional ethics committee, or a person designated by the Judicial 
Conference, as the case may be, is of the opinion that on the basis of 
information contained in such report the individual submitting such 
report is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, he shall 
state such opinion on the report, and shall sign such report.

  (2) If the Director of the Office of Government Ethics, the Secretary 
concerned, the designated agency ethics official, a person designated by 
the congressional ethics committee, or a person designated by the 
Judicial Conference, after reviewing any report under subsection (a)--

          (A) believes additional information is required to be 

        submitted, he shall notify the individual submitting such report 

        what additional information is required and the time by which it 

        must be submitted, or

          (B) is of the opinion, on the basis of information submitted, 

        that the individual is not in compliance with applicable laws 

        and regulations, he shall notify the individual, afford a 

        reasonable opportunity for a written or oral response, and after 

        consideration of such response, reach an opinion as to whether 

        or not, on the basis of information submitted, the individual is 

        in compliance with such laws and regulations.


[[Page 1007]]

Conference, reaches an opinion under paragraph (2)(B) that an individual 
is not in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the official 
or committee shall notify the individual of that opinion and, after an 
opportunity for personal consultation (if practicable), determine and 
notify the individual of which steps, if any, would in the opinion of 
such official or committee be appropriate for assuring compliance with 
such laws and regulations and the date by which such steps should be 
taken. Such steps may include, as appropriate--
  (3) If the Director of the Office of Government Ethics, the Secretary 
concerned, the designated agency ethics official, a person designated by 
a congressional ethics committee, or a person designated by the Judicial

          (A) divestiture,

          (B) restitution,

          (C) the establishment of a blind trust,

          (D) request for an exemption under section 208(b) of title 18, 

        United States Code, or

          (E) voluntary request for transfer, reassignment, limitation 


The use of any such steps shall be in accordance with such rules or 
regulations as the supervising ethics office may prescribe.
        of duties, or resignation.

  (4) If steps for assuring compliance with applicable laws and 
regulations are not taken by the date set under paragraph (3) by an 
individual in a position in the executive branch (other than in the 
Foreign Service or the uniformed services), appointment to which 
requires the advice and consent of the Senate, the matter shall be 
referred to the President for appropriate action.

  (5) If steps for assuring compliance with applicable laws and 
regulations are not taken by the date set under paragraph (3) by a 
member of the Foreign Service or the uniformed services, the Secretary 
concerned shall take appropriate action.

  (6) If steps for assuring compliance with applicable laws and 
regulations are not taken by the date set under paragraph (3) by any 
other officer or employee, the matter shall be referred to the head of 
the appropriate agency, the congressional ethics committee, or the 
Judicial Conference, for appropriate action; except that in the case of 
the Postmaster General or Deputy Postmaster General, the Director of the 
Office of Government Ethics shall recommend to the Governors of the 
Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service the action to be 
taken.


[[Page 1008]]

  (7) Each supervising ethics office may render advisory opinions 
interpreting this title within its respective jurisdiction. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the individual to whom a 
public advisory opinion is rendered in accordance with this paragraph, 
and any other individual covered by this title who is involved in a fact 
situation which is indistinguishable in all material aspects, and who 
acts in good faith in accordance with the provisions and findings of 
such advisory opinion shall not, as a result of such act, be subject to 
any penalty or sanction provided by this title.


         confidential reports and other additional requirements

  Sec. 107. (a)(1) Each supervising ethics office may require officers 
and employees under its jurisdiction (including special Government 
employees as defined in section 202 of title 18, United States Code) to 
file confidential financial disclosure reports, in such form as the 
supervising ethics office may prescribe. The information required to be 
reported under this subsection by the officers and employees of any 
department or agency shall be set forth in rules or regulations 
prescribed by the supervising ethics office, and may be less extensive 
than otherwise required by this title, or more extensive when determined 
by the supervising ethics office to be necessary and appropriate in 
light of sections 202 through 209 of title 18, United States Code, 
regulations promulgated thereunder, or the authorized activities of such 
officers or employees. Any individual required to file a report pursuant 
to section 101 shall not be required to file a confidential report 
pursuant to this subsection, except with respect to information which is 
more extensive than information otherwise required by this title. 
Subsections (a), (b), and (d) of section 105 shall not apply with 
respect to any such report.

  (2) Any information required to be provided by an individual under 
this subsection shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed to the 
public.

  (3) Nothing in this subsection exempts any individual otherwise 
covered by the requirement to file a public financial disclosure report 
under this title from such requirement.

  (b) The provisions of this title requiring the reporting of 
information shall supersede any general requirement under any other 
provision of law or regulation with respect to the reporting of 
information required for purposes of preventing conflicts of interest or 
apparent conflicts of interest. Such provisions of this title shall not 
supersede the requirements of section 7342 of title 5, United States 
Code.


  (c) Nothing in this Act requiring reporting of information shall be 
deemed to authorize the receipt of income, gifts, or reimbursements; the 
holding of assets, liabilities, or positions; or the participation in 
transactions that are prohibited by law, Executive order, rule, or 
regulation.


                    authority of comptroller general

  Sec. 108. (a) The Comptroller General shall have access to financial 
disclosure reports filed under this title for the purposes of carrying 
out his statutory responsibilities.


  (b) No later than December 31, 1992, and regularly thereafter, the 
Comptroller General shall conduct a study to determine whether the 
provisions of this title are being carried out effectively.


                               definitions


[[Page 1009]]

  Sec. 109. For the purposes of this title, the term--

  (1) ``congressional ethics committees'' means the Select Committee on 
Ethics of the Senate and the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct 
of the House of Representatives;

  (2) ``dependent child'' means, when used with respect to any reporting 
individual, any individual who is a son, daughter, stepson, or 
stepdaughter and who--

          (A) is unmarried and under age 21 and is living in the 

        household of such reporting individual; or

          (B) is a dependent of such reporting individual within the 

        meaning of section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;


  (3) ``designated agency ethics official'' means an officer or employee 
who is designated to administer the provisions of this title within an 
agency;


                                  * * *

  (5) ``gift'' means a payment, advance, forbearance, rendering, or 
deposit of money, or any thing of value, unless consideration of equal 
or greater value is received by the donor, but does not include--

          (A) bequest and other forms of inheritance;

          (B) suitable mementos of a function honoring the reporting 

        individual;

          (C) food, lodging, transportation, and entertainment provided 

        by a foreign government within a foreign country or by the 

        United States Government, the District of Columbia, or a State 

        or local government or political subdivision thereof;

          (D) food and beverages which are not consumed in connection 

        with a gift of overnight lodging;

          (E) communications to the offices of a reporting individual, 

        including subscriptions to newspapers and periodicals; or

          (F) consumable products provided by home-State businesses to 

        the offices of a reporting individual who is an elected 

        official, if those products are intended for consumption by 

        persons other than such reporting individual;

  (6) ``honoraria'' has the meaning given such term in section 505 of 
this Act;


  (7) ``income'' means all income from whatever source derived, 
including but not limited to the following items: compensation for 
services, including fees, commissions, and similar items; gross income 
derived from business (and net income if the individual elects to 
include it); gains derived from dealings in property; interest; rents; 
royalties; dividends; annuities; income from life insurance and 
endowment contracts; pensions; income from discharge of indebtedness; 
distributive share of partnership income; and income from an interest in 
an estate or trust;


                                  * * *

  (11) ``legislative branch'' includes--


[[Page 1010]]

          (A) the Architect of the Capitol;

          (B) the Botanic Gardens;

          (C) the Congressional Budget Office;

          (D) the Government Accountability Office;

          (E) the Government Publishing Office;

          (F) the Library of Congress;

          (G) the United States Capitol Police;

          (H) the Office of Technology Assessment; and

          (I) any other agency, entity, office, or commission 

        established in the legislative branch;

  (12) ``Member of Congress'' means a United States Senator, a 
Representative in Congress, a Delegate to Congress, or the Resident 
Commissioner from Puerto Rico;

  (13) ``officer or employee of the Congress'' means--

          (A) any individual described under subparagraph (B), other 

        than a Member of Congress or the Vice President, whose 

        compensation is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the 

        Clerk of the House of Representatives;

          (B)(i) each officer or employee of the legislative branch 

        (except any officer or employee of the Government Accountability 

        Office) who, for at least 60 days, occupies a position for which 

        the rate of basic pay is equal to or greater than 120 percent of 

        the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General 

        Schedule;

          (ii) each officer or employee of the Government Accountability 

        Office who, for at least 60 consecutive days, occupies a 

        position for which the rate of basic pay, minus the amount of 

        locality pay that would have been authorized under section 5304 

        of title 5, United States Code (had the officer or employee been 

        paid under the General Schedule) for the locality within which 

        the position of such officer or employee is located (as 

        determined by the Comptroller General), is equal to or greater 

        than 120 percent of the minimum rate of basic pay payable for 

        GS-15 of the General Schedule; and

          (iii) at least one principal assistant designated for purposes 

        of this paragraph by each Member who does not have an employee 

        who occupies a position for which the rate of basic pay is equal 

        to or greater than 120 percent of the minimum rate of basic pay 

        payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule;

  (14) ``personal hospitality of any individual'' means hospitality 
extended for a nonbusiness purpose by an individual, not a corporation 
or organization, at the personal residence of that individual or his 
family or on property or facilities owned by that individual or his 
family;

  (15) ``reimbursement'' means any payment or other thing of value 
received by the reporting individual, other than gifts, to cover travel-
related expenses of such individual other than those which are--

          (A) provided by the United States Government, the District of 

        Columbia, or a State or local government or political 


[[Page 1011]]

        subdivision thereof;

          (B) required to be reported by the reporting individual under 

        section 7342 of title 5, United States Code; or

          (C) required to be reported under section 304 of the Federal 

        Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434);


  (16) ``relative'' means an individual who is related to the reporting 
individual, as father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, 
aunt, great aunt, great uncle, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, 
wife, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, father-in-law, 
mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-
law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, 
stepsister, half brother, half sister, or who is the grandfather or 
grandmother of the spouse of the reporting individual, and shall be 
deemed to include the fiance or fiancee of the reporting individual;


                                  * * *

  (18) ``supervising ethics office'' means--

          (A) the Senate Committee on Ethics of the Senate, for 

        Senators, officers and employees of the Senate, and other 

        officers or employees of the legislative branch required to file 

        financial disclosure reports with the Secretary of the Senate 

        pursuant to section 103(h) of this title;

          (B) the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the 

        House of Representatives, for Members, officers and employees of 

        the House of Representatives and other officers or employees of 

        the legislative branch required to file financial disclosure 

        reports with the Clerk of the House of Representatives pursuant 

        to section 103(h) of this title;

          (C) the Judicial Conference for judicial officers and judicial 

        employees; and

          (D) the Office of Government Ethics for all executive branch 

        officers and employees; and


  (19) ``value'' means a good faith estimate of the dollar value if the 
exact value is neither known nor easily obtainable by the reporting 
individual.


        notice of actions taken to comply with ethics agreements


[[Page 1012]]

be taken, or not later than three months after the date of the 
agreement, if no date for action is so specified.
  Sec. 110. (a) In any case in which an individual agrees with that 
individual's designated agency ethics official, the Office of Government 
Ethics, a Senate confirmation committee, a congressional ethics 
committee, or the Judicial Conference, to take any action to comply with 
this Act or any other law or regulation governing conflicts of interest 
of, or establishing standards of conduct applicable with respect to, 
officers or employees of the Government, that individual shall notify in 
writing the designated agency ethics official, the Office of Government 
Ethics, the appropriate committee of the Senate, the congressional 
ethics committee, or the Judicial Conference, as the case may be, of any 
action taken by the individual pursuant to that agreement. Such 
notification shall be made not later than the date specified in the 
agreement by which action by the individual must


  (b) If an agreement described in subsection (a) requires that the 
individual recuse himself or herself from particular categories of 
agency or other official action, the individual shall reduce to writing 
those subjects regarding which the recusal agreement will apply and the 
process by which it will be determined whether the individual must 
recuse himself or herself in a specific instance. An individual shall be 
considered to have complied with the requirements of subsection (a) with 
respect to such recusal agreement if such individual files a copy of the 
document setting forth the information described in the preceding 
sentence with such individual's designated agency ethics official or the 
appropriate supervising ethics office within the time prescribed in the 
last sentence of subsection (a).


                      administration of provisions


  Sec. 111. The provisions of this title shall be administered by * * *


                                  * * *


  (2) the Select Committee on Ethics of the Senate and the Committee on 
Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives, as 
appropriate, with regard to officers and employees described in 
paragraphs (9) and (10) of section 101(f).




                                  * * *