text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Transparency and Accountability in 
  Congressional Travel Act of 2012''.
  
  SEC. 2. ENHANCED DISCLOSURE OF MEMBER AND STAFF TRAVEL.
  
      (a) Reporting Requirements for Official Foreign Travel by Members 
  and Employees.--
              (1) Statement required prior to undertaking travel.--A 
          Member or employee of Congress may not undertake any official 
          foreign travel unless, not later than 14 days prior to the date 
          on which the travel begins, the Member or employee prepares and 
          submits to the Clerk of the House of Representatives (in the 
          case of a Member or employee of the House) or the Secretary of 
          the Senate (in the case of a Senator or employee of the Senate) 
          a statement containing the following information:
                      (A) The name and position of the Member or employee 
                  involved, and (in the case of an employee) the 
                  employing office.
                      (B) The office authorizing the travel.
                      (C) A statement of worthiness regarding the purpose 
                  of the travel, including a description of how the 
                  travel relates to the Member's or employee's official 
                  duties.
                      (D) A tentative itinerary for each day of the 
                  travel, including a list of the foreign nations and the 
                  locations within each such nation the Member or 
                  employee intends to visit and any individuals with whom 
                  the Member or employee intends to meet.
                      (E) The names of any other individuals who are 
                  accompanying the Member or employee during the travel, 
                  without regard to whether such individuals are Members 
                  or employees of the House.
                      (F) The amount of per diem the Member or employee 
                  requested to be provided for the travel, and whether 
                  the amount is greater than the standard per diem 
                  provided under chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
                  Code.
                      (G) A statement as to whether the aircraft to be 
                  used for transportation for the travel is commercial, 
                  chartered, private, or military), and (in the case of 
                  commercial aircraft) whether the seating is coach, 
                  business class, or first class.
                      (H) The Member's or employee's best estimate of the 
                  costs of the travel, itemized by the costs of 
                  transportation, meals, and lodging.
                      (I) If any portion of the cost of the travel will 
                  be paid using appropriated funds other than funds of 
                  the House of Representatives or Senate (including funds 
                  of the Department of Defense or the Department of 
                  State), the name of the office which is the source of 
                  such funds.
              (2) Statement required after completion of travel.--Not 
          later than 14 days after completing any official foreign 
          travel, the Member or employee who undertook the travel shall 
          prepare and submit to the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
          (in the case of a Member or employee of the House) or the 
          Secretary of the Senate (in the case of a Senator or employee 
          of the Senate) a statement containing the following 
          information:
                      (A) The name and position of the Member or employee 
                  involved, and (in the case of an employee) the 
                  employing office.
                      (B) The office authorizing the travel.
                      (C) A statement detailing the value, worthiness, 
                  and educational benefit to the Member or employee of 
                  the travel.
                      (D) The actual itinerary for the travel, including 
                  a comprehensive statement of travel times, foreign 
                  nations visited and the locations visited in each such 
                  nation, meetings, and other activities carried out 
                  during the travel.
                      (E) The names of any other individuals who did 
                  accompany the Member or employee during the travel, 
                  without regard to whether such individuals are Members 
                  or employees of the House.
                      (F) How much (if any) per diem was provided for the 
                  travel and how much (if any) of such per diem was 
                  unspent.
                      (G) A statement as to whether the aircraft used for 
                  transportation for the travel was commercial, 
                  chartered, private, or military), and (in the case of 
                  commercial aircraft) whether the seating was coach, 
                  business class, or first class.
                      (H) The actual cost of the travel, itemized by the 
                  costs of--
                              (i) transportation (including the 
                          identification of the providers of the 
                          transportation);
                              (ii) lodging (including the identification 
                          of the providers of the lodging); and
                              (iii) meals (including the identification 
                          of the providers of the meals).
                      (I) If any portion of the cost of the travel was 
                  paid (or will be paid) using appropriated funds other 
                  than funds of the House of Representatives or Senate 
                  (including funds of the Department of Defense or the 
                  Department of State), the name of the office which is 
                  the source of such funds and the amount of the payment 
                  which is (or which will be) attributable to such 
                  office.
              (3) Exception for classified information.--A Member or 
          employee may exclude from a statement prepared under this 
          subsection any information which is classified, so long as the 
          Member includes documentation in support of the exclusion in 
          the statement prepared under this subsection.
              (4) Use of electronic filing.--To the greatest extent 
          practicable, a Member or employee shall submit the statements 
          required under this section in both paper and electronic form.
      (b) Determination and Disclosure of Costs Incurred by Secretary of 
  Defense or Secretary of State.--In the case of official foreign travel 
  of a Member or employee of Congress for which any of the costs are to 
  be paid by funds of the Department of Defense or the Department of 
  State, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of State (as the case 
  may be) shall, not later than 10 days after completion of the travel 
  involved, provide the Member or employee with a written statement 
  containing the following information:
              (1) The cost incurred with respect to the Member or 
          employee, itemized by the cost of transportation, lodging, and 
          meals.
              (2) A statement as to whether the aircraft used for 
          transportation for the travel was commercial, chartered, 
          private, or military), and (in the case of commercial aircraft) 
          whether the seating was coach, business class, or first class.
              (3) Such other information as the Member or employee may 
          request in order to enable the Member or employee to prepare 
          and submit the statement required under subsection (a)(2).
      (c) Internet Posting of Reports.--Upon receiving a statement under 
  subsection (a) with respect to official foreign travel of a Member or 
  employee of Congress, the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the 
  Secretary of the Senate (as the case may be) shall post the statement 
  on the Clerk's or Secretary's official public Internet site in a 
  searchable, sortable, and downloadable manner.
  
  SEC. 3. OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON OFFICIAL FOREIGN TRAVEL OF MEMBERS AND 
                STAFF.
  
      (a) Prohibiting Vacation Stopovers During Travel.--A Member or 
  employee of Congress may not undertake a vacation stopover for annual 
  leave at any point during official foreign travel.
      (b) Restrictions on Travel by Employees.--
              (1) Travel by employees of members.--An employee of 
          Congress whose employing office is the office of a Member of 
          Congress may not undertake any official foreign travel unless--
                      (A) the authorizing office for the travel is the 
                  office of the Member;
                      (B) the travel is undertaken by the employee to 
                  accompany the Member on the Member's own official 
                  foreign travel; and
                      (C) no other employee of the office accompanies the 
                  Member on such travel.
              (2) Travel by employees of committees.--An employee of 
          Congress whose employing office is the office of a committee of 
          the House of Representatives or Senate (including a joint 
          committee) may not undertake any official foreign travel 
          unless--
                      (A) the authorizing office for the travel is the 
                  office of the committee;
                      (B) the travel is undertaken by the employee to 
                  accompany a Member who serves on the committee on the 
                  Member's own official foreign travel; and
                      (C) the number of employees accompanying the 
                  Members of the committee on such travel does not exceed 
                  the number of Members of the committee who are 
                  participating in such travel.
              (3) Exception for certain travel.--This subsection does not 
          apply with respect to travel to a military installation or 
          travel to a theater of operations of the Armed Forces.
      (c) Requiring Efforts To Reduce Expenses; Return of Unspent Per 
  Diem.--Each Member and employee of Congress who undertakes official 
  foreign travel shall--
              (1) take such actions as may be necessary to reduce the 
          costs incurred for such travel; and
              (2) return any per diem provided to the Member or employee 
          which remains unexpended as of the conclusion of the travel.
      (d) No Effect on Other Authorization Requirements.--Nothing in this 
  section shall be construed to affect any requirement under the Rules of 
  the House of Representatives, the Standing Rules of the Senate, or any 
  law that a Member, officer, or employee of Congress obtain 
  authorization for official foreign travel prior to undertaking such 
  travel.
      (e) Regulations.--This section shall be carried out in accordance 
  with regulations promulgated--
              (1) by the Committee on House Administration of the House 
          of Representatives, with respect to Members and employees of 
          the House of Representatives; or
              (2) by the Committee on Rules and Administration of the 
          Senate, with respect to Senators and employees of the Senate.
  
  SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act, the following definitions apply:
              (1) The term ``authorizing office'' means, with respect to 
          a Member or employee of Congress, the office which is 
          authorized under law or the Rules of the House of 
          Representatives or the Standing Rules of the Senate to approve 
          the use of appropriated funds, including official funds of the 
          Senate or House of Representatives, for official travel outside 
          of the United States by the Member or employee.
              (2) The term ``employee of Congress'' means an individual 
          whose salary is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer 
          of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate.
              (3) The term ``Member of Congress'' means a Senator or a 
          Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the 
          Congress.
              (4) The term ``official foreign travel'' means any travel 
          outside of the United States for which the costs (including the 
          costs of transportation, lodging, meals, and related expenses) 
          may be covered by appropriated funds, including official funds 
          of the Senate or House of Representatives, under law or the 
          Rules of the House of Representatives or the Standing Rules of 
          the Senate, or by funds provided under section 502(b) of the 
          Mutual Security Act of 1954 (22 U.S.C. 1754(b)).
  
  SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
  
      This Act shall apply with respect to official foreign travel 
  undertaken after the expiration of the 90-day period which begins on 
  the date of the enactment of this Act.
target: Transparency and Accountability in Congressional Travel Act of 2012 - Prohibits a Member of Congress or congressional employee from undertaking any official foreign travel unless, within 14 days before and within 14 days after such travel, the individual prepares and submits to the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate, as appropriate, a specified statement (in both paper and electronic form) containing travel-related information.
  
  Allows the Member or congressional employee to exclude classified information from such statements, so long as the Member includes documentation in support of such exclusion.
  
  Requires the Secretary of Defense (DOD) or the Secretary of State, as appropriate, for official travel by a Member or congressional employee for which any of the costs are to be paid by their respective departmental funds, to give such individual, within 10 days after completion of such travel, a written statement specifying: (1) the cost incurred, itemized by the cost of transportation, lodging, and meals; and (2) whether the aircraft used was chartered, private, military, or, in the case of commercial aircraft, whether the seating was coach, business class, or first class.
  
  Requires the Clerk and the Secretary to post such statements on their respective official public Internet sites.
  
  Prohibits a vacation stopover for annual leave at any point during official foreign travel.
  
  Specifies restrictions on official foreign travel by Member and House committee employees, except travel to a military installation or to a theater of operations of the Armed Forces.
  
  Requires each Member and congressional employee who undertakes official foreign travel to: (1) take necessary actions to reduce travel costs, and (2) return any per diem remaining unexpended at conclusion of the travel.
feat_title: To enhance the disclosure of information on official foreign travel of Members and employees of Congress, to impose additional restrictions on such travel, and for other purposes.