Restriction on Certain Section 1353 Travel Reimbursements

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Public Law 110-161 (H.R. 2764) signed by the President on December 26, 2007, imposes a significant restriction on the acceptance of 31 USC 1353 travel reimbursements by regulatory agencies. Section 620 of Division D of the Act provides that “no ... regulatory agency or commission funded by this Act may accept payment or reimbursement from a non-Federal entity for travel ... [from] a person or entity subject to regulation by such agency or commission ... unless such person or entity is an organization exempt from taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.”  Affected agencies should consult the full language of the Act and the corresponding explanatory statement submitted by the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.