H.R. 3036

To direct the Secretary of Defense to determine and disclose the costs incurred in taking a Member, officer, or employee of Congress on a trip outside the United States so that such costs may be included in any report the Member, officer, or employee is required to file with respect to the trip under applicable law or rules of the House of Representatives or Senate.

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111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3036

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 25, 2009

Mr. Jones introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to determine and disclose the costs incurred in taking a Member, officer, or employee of Congress on a trip outside the United States so that such costs may be included in any report the Member, officer, or employee is required to file with respect to the trip under applicable law or rules of the House of Representatives or Senate.

1.

Determination and Disclosure of Transportation Costs Incurred by Secretary of Defense for congressional trips outside the United States

(a)

Determination and Disclosure of Costs by Secretary

In the case of a trip taken by a Member, officer, or employee of the House of Representatives or Senate in carrying out official duties outside the United States for which the Department of Defense provides transportation, the Secretary of Defense shall—

(1)

determine the cost of the transportation provided with respect to the Member, officer, or employee; and

(2)

provide the Member, officer, or employee with a written statement of the cost not later than 10 days after completion of the trip involved.

(b)

Inclusion of Information in Travel Reports

Any Member, officer, or employee of the House of Representatives or Senate who takes a trip to which subsection (a) applies shall include the information contained in the written statement provided to the Member, officer, or employee under subsection (a)(2) with respect to the trip in any report that the Member, officer, or employee is required to file with respect to the trip under any provision of law and under any provision of the Rules of the House of Representatives or the Standing Rules of the Senate (as the case may be).

(c)

Exceptions

This section does not apply with respect to any trip the sole purpose of which is to visit one or more United States military installations or to visit United States military personnel in a war zone (or both).

(d)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Member

The term Member, with respect to the House of Representatives, includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress.

(2)

United States

The term United States means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and any other territory or possession of the United States.

2.

Effective Date

This Act shall apply with respect to trips taken on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, except that this Act does not apply with respect to any trip which began prior to such date.