To provide a per diem allowance for Members of Congress for the costs of lodging, meals, and incidental expenses incurred because of travel to and from the Washington Metropolitan Area in order to cast votes in Congress, and for other purposes.

Summary

Allows Members of Congress who travel from their designated residence to the Washington Metropolitan Area to receive lodging and meals & incidental per diem for days they cast in-person votes, using the same per diem rates that federal employees get. Members whose designated residence is within the Washington Metropolitan Area are excluded, and expenses already paid through existing representational or office accounts are not allowed. House and Senate administration committees must write implementing regulations that largely mirror current committee travel rules and preserve non-taxable treatment. This policy applies beginning with the 119th Congress and subsequent Congresses.

• Members who travel from outside the Washington Metropolitan Area to cast in-person votes can claim lodging and meals/incidental per diem.
• Lodging per diem is paid only for days when the Member’s chamber holds votes and the Member casts an in-person vote on every vote that day.
• Meals and incidental per diem covers the lodging day and may include the day before or after under specified travel conditions.
• Members with a designated residence inside the Washington Metropolitan Area are not eligible.
• Per diem amounts are equal to federal GSA per diem rates used for employees.
• Payments cannot be duplicated by existing Member representational or office expense accounts.
• House and Senate administration committees must issue regulations to implement and preserve non-taxable treatment.
• Applies beginning with the 119th Congress and each succeeding Congress.
• Does not establish a new explicit appropriation line in the text provided; it ties payments to existing federal per diem rules.