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


							November 29, 2004
							DO-04-036

						

MEMORANDUM

TO:		Designated Agency Ethics Officials

FROM:		Jack Covaleski
		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 (OGE), 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  OGE no later than December 15, 2004, concerning payments received from April 1, 2004, through September 30, 2004.  Agencies must submit negative reports.

	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.  To the extent possible, agencies are strongly encouraged to submit their semiannual reports to OGE via e-mail at 1353Travel@oge.gov.  The final rule also clarifies OGE’s role:  OGE is to collect and make publically available the information submitted in these semiannual reports.  OGE’s acceptance of this information does not constitute an OGE determination that the information is adequate or an OGE concurrence with the 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).