U.S. Office of Government Ethics
1201 New York Ave., NW
Suite 500
Washington, DC  20005-3917








					November 10, 2005
					DO-05-018


MEMORANDUM

TO:	  Designated Agency Ethics Officials

FROM:	  Joseph Gangloff
	  Deputy Director
	  Office of Agency Programs

SUBJECT:  Reporting Payments Accepted Under 31 U.S.C. § 1353


Agency heads are required to submit to the Director, Office of
Government Ethics, semiannual reports of payments for travel,
subsistence and related expenses received from non-Federal
sources in connection with the attendance of employees at
certain meetings or similar functions (31 U.S.C. § 1353).  The
next semiannual report should be submitted to the Office of
Government Ethics no later than November 30, 2005, for
payments received from April 1, 2005, through September 30,
2005.  Agencies must submit negative reports.

To the extent possible, agencies are strongly encouraged to
submit their semiannual reports, by SF 326 or other format,
via e-mail at 1353Travel@oge.gov.  If you submit your reports
using the SF 326 that is available on the GSA forms library,
please save and submit the report as a .pdf file.  (The Office
of Government Ethics cannot open .xpw or .frp files.)

The General Services Administration final rule, effective June
16, 2003, establishes a uniform reporting format that
generally should be used for reporting payments received on or
after that date.  The final rule also clarifies the Office of
Government Ethics’ role:  It is to collect and make publicly
available the information submitted in these semiannual
reports.  The Office of Government Ethics’ acceptance of this
information does not constitute a determination that the
information is adequate or concurrence with the submitting
agency’s conflict of interest analysis.  (See 68 Federal
Register 12602-12610 published March 17, 2003.)

If you have any questions, please contact Veda Marshall at
(202) 482-9260 or at vemarsha@oge.gov.