LegiStorm has launched a new database of all
foreign gifts (whether tangible gifts or travel) received by members of Congress and their staff in the past decade.
Our database covers from 1999 to the present. In that time, more than 450 gifts in all were reported having been received by congressmen and their aides by foreign governments. These gifts include tangible ones, such as a ceremonial sword, or travel, such as a ride in a military helicopter. Only gifts above what the law has determined to be "minimal value" is considered reportable. The Senate defines "minimal value" as $100, while the House and executive branch adjust the value by inflation. In 2008, the value for the House and executive branch was $335.
Roll Call's Jennifer Yachnin had a
story this morning on the subject of foreign gifts: "Even as new ethics restrictions have made it difficult for Members and staff to accept gifts — aside from token baseball caps or T-shirts — one area remains where lawmakers and their staffs can collect trinkets more or less guilt-free: foreign travel."
Gifts and trips from foreign governments are easier to come by than ones provided by domestic interest groups because the ethics clampdown caused largely by the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal has not affected these rules. Foreign gifts are also governed by a separate law, the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act.
Diplomatic protocol often requires the giving and acceptance of gifts. It could be considered rude to turn down a gift from a foreign country.
Interestingly, despite dozens of tangible gifts reported by the Senate and hundreds to executive branch officials, only one House official - former
Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) - disclosed receiving gifts in the past five years. His largest gift was a
$10,000 ceremonial dagger encrusted with precious metals and gems that was bestowed upon him by Morocco. While Hastert filed, his disclosures did not meet the legal requirement that they be filed within 60 days. Instead, they were all filed when he was leaving office and often covered items received years before.
The lack of other House disclosures is odd, especially given that
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other House official have made high-profile trips overseas. Yet their lack of disclosures suggests that they have not received the customary treatment accorded to others, including even some Senate aides. House officials claimed to Roll Call that they have received gifts, but no gifts other than Hastert's were worth more than minimal amounts. But they also acknowledged they have had only a dozen items appraised in recent years.
The significance of the disclosures is that federal officials may keep any items that do not meet the reporting threshold. Items of greater value must be turned in to the government, or alternatively can be purchased by the recipient for the appraised value.
