Official Summary

3/1/2011--Introduced.Cleaning Up Congress by Providing Accountability for Congressional Foreign Travel Act - Amends the Mutual Security Act of 1954 to revise requirements with respect to the availability, use, and reporting of foreign currency by Members and employees of Congress. Requires

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Official Summary

3/1/2011--Introduced.Cleaning Up Congress by Providing Accountability for Congressional Foreign Travel Act - Amends the Mutual Security Act of 1954 to revise requirements with respect to the availability, use, and reporting of foreign currency by Members and employees of Congress. Requires a review by current authorizing officials of specified travel-related information before approval or denial of any foreign travel authorization or appropriated dollar expenditures in connection with it. Requires each Member or employee provided a per diem to:
(1) take necessary actions to reduce costs incurred for such travel, and
(2) return to the appropriate chamber any unexpended per diem at the conclusion of the travel, which shall be used for deficit reduction. Prohibits, unless authorized by the appropriate chamber, the receipt of federal funds (including foreign currencies made available under this Act) by any Member of either chamber who is retiring or has been defeated for re-election in a primary. Applies such foreign travel restrictions also to Member's employees, elected officers of both chambers, and committee employees whose employment will terminate at the end of a Congress. Exempts from such restrictions travel to a military installation or a theater of operations of the Armed Forces. Allows a Member or employee to obtain a waiver of such travel restrictions by the authorizing officials. Requires the chair of each congressional committee and joint committee to prepare and forward to the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate a consolidated report specifying foreign travel taken by committee Members or employees,which shall be made available on the official public websites of the Clerk and of the Secretary. Authorizes the chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence or the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in his or her discretion, to omit from the consolidated report any information that would identify the foreign countries in which Members and employees of that Committee traveled. Prescribes and/or revises requirements for Member and employee travel reports. Requires the Comptroller General to study the amount of appropriated funds for official foreign travel by Members, officers, and employees of both chambers, and make recommendations for determining the funding level for such travel which will promote transparency and cost savings.

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