May 14, 1998
                                   DO-98-020

MEMORANDUM


TO:       Designated Agency Ethics Officials and General Counsels 

FROM:     Stephen D. Potts
          Director

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


     Section 1353 of title 31, United States Code, authorizes the
acceptance by executive branch agencies of payments for travel,
subsistence, and related expenses from non-Federal sources in
connection with the attendance of employees at certain meetings or
similar functions.  The statute provides that the head of each
agency shall submit to the Director of the Office of Government
Ethics (OGE) semiannual reports of payments of more than $250
accepted under this authority.  The next semiannual report should
be submitted to OGE not later than May 31, 1998, concerning
payments received during the period beginning on October 1, 1997,
and ending on March 31, 1998.  Agencies are required to submit
negative reports.  The regulation implementing 31 U.S.C. § 1353 and
its reporting requirement are codified at 41 C.F.R. part 304-1.