2 U.S.C. § 31-2 : US Code - Section 31-2: Gifts and travel

Search 2 U.S.C. § 31-2 : US Code - Section 31-2: Gifts and travel

(a) Gifts
(1) No Member, officer, or employee of the Senate, or the spouse
or dependent thereof, shall knowingly accept, directly or
indirectly, any gift or gifts in any calendar year aggregating more
than the minimal value as established by section 7342(a)(5) of
title 5 or $250, whichever is greater (!1) from any person,
organization, or corporation unless, in an unusual case, a waiver
is granted by the Select Committee on Ethics.
(2) The prohibitions of this subsection do not apply to gifts - 
(A) from relatives;
(B) with a value of $100 or less, as adjusted under section
102(a)(2)(A) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978; or
(C) of personal hospitality of an individual.
(3) For purposes of this subsection - 
(A) the term "gift" means a payment, subscription, advance,
forbearance, rendering, or deposit of money, services, or
anything of value, including food, lodging, transportation, or
entertainment, and reimbursement for other than necessary
expenses, unless consideration of equal or greater value is
received, but does not include (1) a political contribution
otherwise reported as required by law, (2) a loan made in a
commercially reasonable manner (including requirements that the
loan be repaid and that a reasonable rate of interest be paid),
(3) a bequest, inheritance, or other transfer at death, (4) a
bona fide award presented in recognition of public service and
available to the general public, (5) a reception at which the
Member, officer, or employee is to be honored, provided such
individual receives no other gifts that exceed the restrictions
in this rule, other than a suitable memento, (6) meals or
beverages consumed or enjoyed, provided the meals or beverages
are not consumed or enjoyed in connection with a gift of
overnight lodging, or (7) anything of value given to a spouse or
dependent of a reporting individual by the employer of such
spouse or dependent in recognition of the service provided by
such spouse or dependent; and
(B) the term "relative" has the same meaning given to such term
in section 107(2) of title I of the Ethics in Government Act of
1978 (Public Law 95-521).(!2)
(4) If a Member, officer, or employee, after exercising
reasonable diligence to obtain the information necessary to comply
with this rule, unknowingly accepts a gift described in paragraph
(1) such Member, officer, or employee shall, upon learning of the
nature of the gift and its source, return the gift or, if it is not
possible to return the gift, reimburse the donor for the value of
the gift.
(5)(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, a
Member, officer, or employee of the Senate may participate in a
program, the principal objective of which is educational, sponsored
by a foreign government or a foreign educational or charitable
organization involving travel to a foreign country paid for by that
foreign government or organization if such participation is not in
violation of any law and if the select (!3) Committee on Ethics has
determined that participation in such program by Members, officers,
or employees of the Senate is in the interests of the Senate and
the United States.
(B) Any Member who accepts an invitation to participate in any
such program shall notify the Select Committee in writing of his
acceptance. A Member shall also notify the Select Committee in
writing whenever he has permitted any officer or employee whom he
supervises to participate in any such program. The chairman of the
Select Committee shall place in the Congressional Record a list of
all individuals,(!4) participating, the supervisors of such
individuals where applicable; (!5) and the nature and itinerary of
such program.
(C) No Member, officer, or employee may accept funds in
connection with participation in a program permitted under
subparagraph (A) if such funds are not used for necessary food,
lodging, transportation, and related expenses of the Member,
officer, or employee.
(b) Limits on domestic and foreign travel by Members and staff of
Senate
The term "necessary expenses", with respect to limits on domestic
and foreign travel by Members and staff of the Senate, means
reasonable expenses for food, lodging, or transportation which are
incurred by a Member, officer, or employee of the Senate in
connection with services provided to (or participation in an event
sponsored by) the organization which provides reimbursement for
such expenses or which provides the food, lodging, or
transportation directly. Necessary expenses do not include the
provision of food, lodging, or transportation, or the payment for
such expenses, for a continuous period in excess of 3 days
exclusive of travel time within the United States or 7 days
exclusive of travel time outside of the United States unless such
travel is approved by the Committee on Ethics as necessary for
participation in a conference, seminar, meeting or similar matter.
Necessary expenses do not include the provision of food, lodging,
or transportation, or the payment for such expenses, for anyone
accompanying a Member, officer, or employee of the Senate, other
than the spouse or child of such Member, officer, or employee of
the Senate or one Senate employee acting as an aide to a Member.