Mr. President, I wish to inform all Senators that the Committee on Rules and Administration has updated the U.S. Senate Travel Regulations to include two changes. First, P.L. 110-81 requires the…
Mr. President, I wish to inform all Senators that the Committee on Rules and Administration has updated the U.S. Senate Travel Regulations to include two changes.
First, P.L. 110-81 requires the Rules Committee to make certain changes to
the U.S. Senate Travel Regulations. The provision dealing with how Members estimate costs for charter jets is amended in section III Transportation, paragraph C, of the Travel Regulations, as follows:
C. Corporate/Private Aircraft: Reimbursement of official
expenses for the use of a corporate or private aircraft is
allowable from the contingent fund of the Senate provided the
traveler complies with the prohibitions, restrictions, and
authorizations specified in these regulations. Moreover,
pursuant to the Ethics Committee Interpretive Ruling 444,
excess campaign funds may be used to defray official expenses
consistent with the regulations promulgated by the Federal
Election Commission.
i. An amendment to Rule XXXV of the Standing Rules of the
Senate, paragraph 1(c)(1)(C), enacted September 14, 2007,
pursuant to P.L. 110-81, states:
(C)(i) Fair market value for a flight on an aircraft
described in item (ii) shall be the pro rata share of the
fair market value of the normal and usual charter fare or
rental charge for a comparable plane of comparable size, as
determined by dividing such cost by the number of Members,
officers, or employees of Congress on the flight.
(ii) A flight on an aircraft described in this item is any
flight on an aircraft that is not--
(I) operated or paid for by an air carrier or commercial
operator certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration
and required to be conducted under air carrier safety rules;
or
(II) in the case of travel which is abroad, an air carrier
or commercial operator certificated by an appropriate foreign
civil aviation authority and the flight is required to be
conducted under air carrier safety rules.
(iii) This subclause shall not apply to an aircraft owned
or leased by a governmental entity or by a Member of Congress
or a Member's immediate family member (including an aircraft
owned by an entity that is not a public corporation in which
the Member or Member's immediate family member has an
ownership interest), provided that the Member does not use
the aircraft anymore than the Member's or immediate family
member's proportionate share of ownership allows.
ii. Prior to the commencement of official travel on a
corporate or private aircraft, the traveler or the traveler's
designee shall contact a charter company in the departure or
destination city to request a written estimate of the cost of
a flight between the two cities on a similar aircraft of
comparable size being provided by the corporation or private
entity.
1. For example, if a Learjet 45 XR aircraft is being
provided by the corporation or private entity, the traveler
or the traveler's designee shall request a written estimate
of the cost to charter a Learjet 45 XR aircraft from the
departure city to the destination city.
2. If no charter company is located in either the departure
or destination city which rents a similar aircraft of
comparable size, a charter company nearest either the
destination or departure city which does so shall be
contacted for a written estimate.
iii. Following the completion of official travel on a
corporate or private aircraft, reimbursement for related
expenses may be processed on direct pay vouchers payable to
each individual traveler, to the corporation or private
entity, or to the travel charge card vendor. The written
estimate received from the charter company shall be attached
to the voucher for processing.
The second change concerns travel by Members to the home State for funerals. The provision is amended in section of the Travel Regulations entitled ``Special Events, II. Funerals,'' as follows:
II. Funerals: Members who represent the Senate at the
funeral of a Member or former Member may be reimbursed for
the actual and necessary expenses of their attendance,
pursuant to S. Res. 263, agreed to July 30, 1998.
Additionally, the actual and necessary expenses of a
committee appointed to represent the Senate at the funeral of
a deceased Member or former Member may be reimbursed pursuant
to S. Res. 458, agreed to October 4, 1984.
A. Pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 58e, which authorizes reimbursement
for travel while on official business within the United
States, Members and their staff may be reimbursed for the
actual and necessary expenses of attending funerals within
their home state only.
B. Examples of funerals that may be considered official
business include, but are not limited to, funerals for
military servicemembers, first responders, or public
officials from the Member's state.
These changes became effective on December 20, 2007.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have the updated U.S. Senate Travel Regulations printed in the Record.
