U.S. House of Representatives Issues New Rules on Acceptance of Gifts and Travel

At the beginning of the 2007 session, the United States House of Representatives amended House Ethics Rules to prohibit House members and staff from accepting meals and gifts from any registered lobbyists or the lobbyists' employers regardless of the value of that gift. The safe harbor exemption that permitted gifts valued at under $50, or cumulatively valued at less than $100 per calendar year, no longer applies to gifts from lobbyists or their employers. The new rules also clarify that tickets to sporting or entertainment events should be valued at the face value of the ticket, so long as the face value is also the price at which the ticket is offered for sale to the public.

The House Rules further restrict acceptance of privately sponsored travel by House members and staff. Effective March 1, 2007, the Rules will prohibit private entities from providing travel, lodging and related expenses for a meeting, speaking engagement, or fact finding trip unless very specific requirements are met. Among other things, a lobbyist's presence on the trip is prohibited or limited, depending on whether or not the private entity employs a registered lobbyist. The private sponsor must also provide a written certification regarding funding for the trip and must seek and obtain prior approval from the House Ethics Committee. Finally, members are prohibited from using personal funds, official funds, campaign funds, or other political party funds to pay for any flight on an airplane that is not licensed by the FAA for commercial purposes.

The House Ethics Committee is required to develop guidelines to help implement these new restrictions. The U.S. Senate is expected to pass similar rules in the near future.