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H.R. 1359 (113th): Congressional Foreign Travel Cost Disclosure Act

The text of the bill below is as of Mar 21, 2013 (Introduced).

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I

113th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1359

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 21, 2013

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Defense to determine and disclose the cost of any transportation provided by the Secretary to Members, officers, or employees of the House of Representatives or Senate who are carrying out official duties outside the United States, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Congressional Foreign Travel Cost Disclosure Act.

2.

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;

(2)

not later than 10 days after completion of the trip involved, provide a written statement of the cost—

(A)

to the Member, officer, or employee involved, and

(B)

to the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives (in the case of a trip taken by a Member, officer, or employee of the House) or the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate (in the case of a trip taken by a Member, officer, or employee of the Senate); and

(3)

upon providing a written statement under paragraph (2), make the statement available for viewing on the Secretary’s official public website until the expiration of the 4-year period which begins on the final day of the trip involved.

(b)

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).

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(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.

3.

Effective Date

Section 2 shall apply with respect to trips taken on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, except that section 2 does not apply with respect to any trip which began prior to such date.