On September 23, 2008 the U.S. House of Representatives announced changes to the pre-approval process for Members of Congress and their staff seeking to participate in officially connected travel that is paid for by a private source.

14 Days Notice Required

• All travel forms must be submitted to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct no later than 14 days prior to the start date of the trip
• This shortens the previous requirement down from 30 days

Rule Active: 

• The new rule is effective for any trip scheduled on or after October 21, 2008

Exceptions to the Rule

• Instances when a House member receives a last-minute request from a media outlet for a media interview or appearance
• Other "exceptional circumstances," which do not include the trip sponsor providing an invitation less than 14 days before the trip or if the traveler fails to forward the request to Committee within the 14-day deadline.

Other Sources of Funding

If a Member deems that his or her participation (or the participation of an employee in their personal office) in a trip is officially-connected but the 14-day deadline cannot be met, then monies from alternative sources may be acceptable sources of funding. These include:

• The Member's MRA
• The Member's principal campaign committee
• Members (but not staff) may also use personal funds to pay for official travel

Additional information is available on the Web site for the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct here.