[20050826]RS22231_国会议员接受赠送的免费餐食.pdf

1 House Rule XXV, clause 5(a)(1)(A); Senate Rule XXXV, clause 1(a)(1): A Member, officeror employee may not “knowingly accept a gift except as provided” in this Rule. The House andSenate Rules operate as the regulations for the acceptance of gifts which may otherwise beprohibited under federal law, at 5 U.S.C. 7353. That law prohibits solicitation or acceptance(continued.)Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS22231August 26, 2005The Acceptance of Gifts of Free Meals byMembers of Congressname redactedLegislative AttorneyAmerican Law DivisionSummaryUnder House and Senate Rules, Members and staff may not solicit gifts forthemselves, and may not accept gifts from any source except in narrowly definedcircumstances expressly set out in the respective rules. There is no general exceptionto the current gift rule prohibitions for the acceptance of free “meals,” and thus mealsprovided by outside, private third parties to Members or staff are considered “gifts” tothem, and may not be accepted unless under circumstances which meet other specificexceptions. There are a number of circumstances under which Members or