§4726 Guidelines Relating to Restrictions on Registered Lobbyist Participation in Travel and Disclosure

Summary

The Senate Select Committee on Ethics must create and update rules for judging sponsored trips and whether trip costs are reasonable. The rules had to be written within 60 days after September 14, 2007, and then updated every year. They must cover factors like the sponsor’s mission, the sponsor’s past history of sponsoring trips, other educational work by the sponsor, whether past sponsored trips led to committee investigations, whether the trip length and schedule match its official purpose, the connection to official duties, whether the sponsor’s spending is reasonable, whether funding is directly tied to the event, and any other relevant factors. The committee must also set out what information people must give to get the committee’s prior approval for travel under paragraph 2 of rule XXXV of the Senate’s Standing Rules, including any required certifications. When making the rules, the committee must consider the government per diem rates published by the General Services Administration, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense. A flight described in paragraph 1(c)(1)(C)(ii) of rule XXXV is not a reasonable expense. The Committee on Rules and Administration may extend the first deadline by 30 days.