,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bdhe ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ag1 #bjai ,mr4 ,peters 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,mr4 ,udall1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,bennet1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mr4 ,carper1 ,mr4 ,casey1 ,ms4 ,cortez ,masto1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,ms4 ,hassan1 ,mr4 ,heinrich1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4 ,king1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,menendez1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,schatz1 ,mr4 ,schumer1 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 ,ms4 ,sinema1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 ,tester1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,whitehouse1 and ,mr4 ,wyden7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit ,federal agencies from using ,government funds to pay for expenses at lodging establishments that are owned by or employ certain public officials or their relatives4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,heightened ,oversight of ,travel1 ,eating1 and ,lodging ,act of #bjai or the ,,hotel ,act4 #b4 ,limitation on ,government spending 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,agency ,the term agency means-- 7,a7 an ,executive agency 7as defined in section #aje of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code71 a military department 7as defined in section #ajb of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code71 or any other establishment in the executive branch 7including the ,executive ,office of the ,president1 the ,united ,states ,postal ,service1 and the ,postal ,regulatory ,commission72 7,b7 an office1 agency1 or other establishment in the legislative branch2 and 7,c7 an office1 agency1 or other establishment in the judicial branch4 7#b7 ,beneficial owner 7,a7 ,in general ,except as provided in subparagraph 7,b71 the term beneficial owner1 with respect to a lodging establishment1 means an individual who1 directly or indirectly1 through any contract1 arrangement1 understanding1 relationship1 or otherwise-- 7i7 exercises control over the establishment2 or 7ii7 has a substantial interest in or receives substantial economic benefits from the assets of the establishment4 7,b7 ,exceptions ,the term beneficial owner does not include1 with respect to a lodging establishment-- 7i7 a person acting as a nominee1 intermediary1 custodian1 or agent on behalf of another person2 or 7ii7 a creditor of the establishment1 unless the creditor also meets the requirements of subparagraph 7,a74 7,c7 ,anti-abuse rule ,the exceptions under subparagraph 7,b7 shall not apply if used for the purpose of evading1 circumventing1 or abusing the requirements of this ,act4 7#c7 ,control ,the term control1 with respect to a lodging establishment1 means-- 7,a7 having the authority or ability to determine how the establishment is utilized2 or 7,b7 having decision-making power for the use of the establishment4 7#d7 ,covered establishment ,the term covered establishment means a lodging establishment that meets one or more of the following criteria3 7,a7 ,a covered individual is the highest-level owner1 an immediate owner1 or a beneficial owner of the establishment4 7,b7 ,the establishment employs a covered individual described in subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,d7 of paragraph 7#e74 7#e7 ,covered individual ,the term covered individual means-- 7,a7 the ,president2 7,b7 the ,vice ,president2 7,c7 a relative of the ,president or ,vice ,president2 and 7,d7 with respect to an agency that is an ,executive department1 the head of the ,executive department4 7#f7 ,executive department ,the term ,executive department has the meaning given the term in section #aja of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#g7 ,federal employee ,the term ,federal employee-- 7,a7 means an individual employed in or under an agency1 including-- 7i7 an individual employed intermittently in the ,government service as an expert or consultant and paid on a daily when-actually-employed basis2 and 7ii7 an individual serving without pay or at #a a year2 and 7,b7 includes-- 7i7 the ,president2 7ii7 the ,vice ,president2 7iii7 a ,member of ,congress2 and 7iv7 any judge or justice who is entitled to hold office during good behavior4 7#h7 ,highest-level owner ,the term highest-level owner1 with respect to a lodging establishment1 means the person that owns or controls one or more of the following3 7,a7 ,an immediate owner of the establishment4 7,b7 ,a person that owns or controls an immediate owner of the establishment4 7#i7 ,immediate owner ,the term immediate owner1 with respect to a lodging establishment1 means a person that has direct control of the establishment1 including ownership or interlocking management1 identity of interests among family members1 shared facilities and equipment1 and the common use of employees4 7#aj7 ,lodging establishment ,the term lodging establishment means a hotel1 motel1 or other entity that provides lodging in exchange for a fee4 7#aa7 ,per diem allowance ,the term per diem allowance means a per diem allowance1 as defined in section #egja of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 or any similar allowance to which a ,federal employee is entitled1 including any amounts made available to the head or other senior officer of an agency to pay for subsistence or other expenses related to travel4 7#ab7 ,relative ,the term relative has the meaning given the term in section #caaj7;a7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#ac7 ,substantial economic benefits ,the term substantial economic benefits1 with respect to a lodging establishment1 means having an entitlement to the funds or assets of the establishment that1 as a practical matter1 enables a person1 directly or indirectly1 to control1 manage1 or direct the establishment4 7#ad7 ,travel reimbursement ,the term travel reimbursement means reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses of official travel under section #egjb of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 or any similar reimbursement to which a ,federal employee is entitled4 7b7 ,prohibition ,the ,federal ,government may not authorize1 pay for1 reimburse1 contract for1 or procure any good or service at or from a covered establishment1 including by providing travel reimbursement or a per diem allowance for the cost of lodging or any other expense at a covered establishment4 7c7 ,exceptions 7#a7 ,in general ,subsection 7b7 shall not apply to-- 7,a7 an expenditure by the ,united ,states ,secret ,service or any other agency for protective services relating to the protection of individuals2 7,b7 an expenditure that1 in the case of a lodging establishment located in the ,united ,states1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 or1 in the case of an establishment located outside of the ,united ,states1 the ,secretary of ,state1 determines is necessary for purposes of providing-- 7i7 humanitarian assistance2 or 7ii7 disaster relief or other urgent life-saving measures2 or 7,c7 an expenditure by an agency at a covered establishment that is the only lodging establishment that would meet statutory or regulatory requirements for lodging or other expenses during official travel1 if1 with respect to an expenditure by-- 7i7 an agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,a71 a written waiver is issued by the designated agency ethics official 7as defined in section #aji of the ,ethics in ,government ,act of #aigh 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app477 of the agency2 7ii7 an office1 agency1 or other establishment in the ,senate1 a written waiver is issued by an official designated by the ,select ,committee on ,ethics of the ,senate2 7iii7 an office1 agency1 or other establishment in the ,house of ,representatives1 a written waiver is issued by an official designated by the ,committee on ,ethics of the ,house of ,representatives2 7iv7 an agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,b7 that is not in the ,senate or the ,house of ,representatives1 a written waiver is issued by an official designated by the head of the agency2 and 7v7 an agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,c71 a written waiver is issued by an official designated by the ,judicial ,conference of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,reporting requirement 7,a7 ,immediate report 7i7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date on which an agency makes an expenditure that would be prohibited under subsection 7b7 but for the exception under paragraph 7#a7 of this subsection1 the agency shall submit a report describing the expenditure to the appropriate agency or official1 including a copy of each waiver issued under paragraph 7#a77;,c71 if any4 7ii7 ,appropriate agency or official ,for purposes of clause 7i71 the term appropriate agency or official1 in the case of an expenditure by-- 7,i7 an agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,a71 or an agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,b7 that is not in the ,senate or the ,house of ,representatives1 means the ,office of ,government ,ethics2 7,,ii7 an office1 agency1 or other establishment in the ,senate1 means the ,secretary of the ,senate2 7,,iii7 an office1 agency1 or other establishment in the ,house of ,representatives1 means the ,clerk of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,,iv7 an agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,c71 means the ,judicial ,conference of the ,united ,states4 7,b7 ,annual report to ,congress ,not later than #fj days after the end of each fiscal year1 an agency shall submit to the ,committee on ,homeland ,security and ,governmental ,affairs of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,oversight and ,reform of the ,house of ,representatives a report that-- 7i7 states whether the agency made an expenditure described in subparagraph 7,a77i7 during the fiscal year2 and 7ii7 if the agency made an expenditure described in subparagraph 7,a77i7 during the fiscal year1 describes each expenditure made1 and each waiver issued1 during the fiscal year4 7d7 ,regulations and procedures 7#a7 ,executive branch ,the ,director of the ,office of ,government ,ethics shall issue any regulations or procedures necessary to carry out this section with respect to expenditures by an agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,a74 7#b7 ,legislative branch 7,a7 ,senate ,the ,select ,committee on ,ethics of the ,senate shall issue any regulations or procedures necessary to carry out this section with respect to expenditures by an office1 agency1 or other establishment in the ,senate4 7,b7 ,house of ,representatives ,the ,committee on ,ethics of the ,house of ,representatives shall issue any regulations or procedures necessary to carry out this section with respect to expenditures by an office1 agency1 or other establishment in the ,house of ,representatives4 7,c7 ,other legislative branch agencies ,the head of each agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,b7 that is not in the ,senate or the ,house of ,representatives shall issue any regulations or procedures necessary to carry out this section with respect to expenditures by that agency4 7#c7 ,judicial branch ,the ,judicial ,conference of the ,united ,states 7or such other agency as it may designate7 shall issue any regulations or procedures necessary to carry out this section with respect to expenditures by an agency described in subsection 7a77#a77;,c74 7#d7 ,parallel regulations and procedures ,the regulations or procedures issued under paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c7 shall be the same as substantive regulations or procedures issued by the ,director of the ,office of ,government ,ethics under paragraph 7#a7 except to the extent that an agency issuing regulations or procedures under paragraph 7#b7 or 7#c7 may determine1 for good cause shown and stated together with the regulations or procedures1 that a modification of the regulations or procedures issued under paragraph 7#a7 would be more effective for the implementation of this section with respect to the agency or agencies to which the regulations or procedures issued under paragraph 7#b7 or 7#c7 will apply4