perrin argued october decided november petitioner others indicted violating conspiring violate travel act makes federal offense travel use facility interstate commerce commit inter alia bribery violation laws state committed petitioner codefendants charged using facilities interstate commerce promote commercial bribery scheme violation laws louisiana scheme exploit geological exploration data stolen company employee company promised percentage profits realized exploitation information petitioner convicted appeals affirmed rejecting contention congress intended bribery travel act include bribery public officials held bribery private employees prohibited state criminal statutes violates travel act pp act enacted part legislative program directed organized crime common understanding bribery extended beyond early definitions limiting bribery public officials federal legislation bribery included bribery individuals acting private capacity pp generic definition bribery rather narrow definition limited public officials intended congress references legislative history purposes scope travel act well bills included package organized crime legislation aimed supplementing state enforcement indicate members committees draftsmen used bribery include payments private individuals influence actions congress recognized bribery private persons widely used highly organized criminal efforts infiltrate gain control legitimate businesses area special concern congress enacting travel act cf nardello pp federalism principles dictate narrow interpretation bribery long requisite interstate nexus present sufficiency nexus longer issue case statute reflects clear deliberate intent congress part alter balance order reinforce state law enforcement rewis distinguished pp burger delivered opinion members joined except white took part decision case leonard boudin argued cause petitioner briefs robert haik albert ahern stephen shapiro argued cause briefs solicitor general mccree assistant attorney general heymann chief justice burger delivered opinion granted certiorari resolve circuit conflict whether commercial bribery private employees prohibited state criminal statute constitutes bribery violation laws state committed within meaning travel act petitioner vincent perrin four codefendants indicted eastern district louisiana violating travel act conspiring violate act travel act provides part whoever travels interstate foreign commerce uses facility interstate foreign commerce including mail intent distribute proceeds unlawful activity commit crime violence unlawful activity otherwise promote manage establish carry facilitate promotion management establishment carrying unlawful activity thereafter performs attempts perform acts specified subparagraphs shall fined imprisoned five years used subsection unlawful activity means business enterprise involving gambling liquor federal excise tax paid narcotics controlled substances defined section controlled substances act prostitution offenses violation laws state committed extortion bribery arson violation laws state committed following jury trial perrin convicted conspiracy count two substantive travel act counts received suspended sentence three counts government evidence trial perrin david levy duffy lafont engaged scheme exploit geological data obtained geophysical company business conducting geological explorations selling data oil companies trial company executives testified confidentiality imperative conduct business economic value exploration data undermined confidentiality protected moreover public disclosure sale interfere contractual rights purchaser otherwise injure relationship customers june lafont importuned roger willis employee steal confidential geological exploration data employer exchange lafont promised willis percentage profits corporation created exploit stolen information willis position analyst seismic data gave access relevant material turn surreptitiously provided conspirators perrin consulting geologist brought scheme interpret analyze data late july perrin met willis lafont levy perrin directed willis call firm richmond obtain gravity maps aid evaluation meeting willis contacted federal bureau investigation disclosed details scheme willis agreed permit conversations participants recorded tapes made large number played jury appeals fifth circuit affirmed perrin conviction rejecting contention congress intended bribery act include bribery public officials also rejected challenges constitutionality louisiana commercial bribery statute sufficiency interstate nexus establish jurisdiction travel act failure trial judge sever petitioner trial codefendants ii petitioner argues congress intended bribery travel act confined definition bribery public official contends commercial bribery offense common law indictment fails charge federal offense travel act one several bills enacted law congress part attorney general legislative program directed organized crime attorney general robert kennedy testified senate house hearings federal legislation needed aid state local governments longer able cope increasingly complex interstate nature multiparty crime stated intent dry traditional sources funds illegal activities legislation relating organized crime hearings subcommittee house committee judiciary sess hereinafter house hearings attorney general program curb organized crime racketeering hearings senate committee judiciary sess hereinafter senate hearings remedy gap authority federal investigatory agencies congress employed familiar power commerce clause federal constitution prohibit activities traditional state local concern also interstate nexus see federal kidnaping statute interstate transportation stolen automobiles congress consciously linking enforcement powers resources federal state governments deal traditional state crimes shown definition unlawful activity enterprise involving gambling liquor narcotics controlled substances prostitution offenses violation laws state committed statute also makes federal offense travel use facility interstate commerce commit extortion bribery violation laws state committed offenses defined reference existing state well federal law clear beyond doubt congress intended add second layer enforcement supplementing found inadequate state authority state enforcement begin language travel act southeastern community college davis tva hill fundamental canon statutory construction unless otherwise defined words interpreted taking ordinary contemporary common meaning burns alcala therefore look ordinary meaning term bribery time congress enacted statute light perrin contentions consider first development evolution definition early common law crime bribery extended corruption judges coke institutes time blackstone bribery defined offense involving judge person concerned administration justice included giver well receiver bribe blackstone commentaries writings scholar inform us time crime bribery expanded include corruption public official bribery voters witnesses well stephen digest criminal law century england adopted prevention corruption act making criminal commercial bribery agents employees act edw ch amended prevention corruption act geo ch country time travel act enacted federal state statutes extended term bribery well beyond meaning although congress chose enact general commercial bribery statute perceived abuses areas found required particular legislation federal statutes specifically using bribery sense payments private persons influence actions transportation act prohibiting bribery agents employees common carriers amendments communications act prohibiting bribery television game show contestants similar enlargement term beyond definition manifested prior fourteen statutes outlawed commercial bribery generally additional adopted narrow statutes outlawing corrupt payments influence private duties particular fields including bribery agents common carrier telegraph company employees labor officials bank employees participants sporting events sum common understanding meaning bribery extended beyond early definitions federal legislation bribery included bribery individuals acting private capacity background travel act passed iii previous occasion took note sparse legislative history travel act rewis record hearings floor debates discloses congress made attempt define statutory term bribery relied accepted contemporary meaning ample references bribery state local officials indication congress intended limit meaning indeed references legislative history purposes scope travel act well bills consideration congress part package organized crime legislation aimed supplementing state enforcement indicate members committees draftsmen used bribery include payments private individuals influence actions senator keating instance expressed concern influence gamblers racketeers athletics indicated belief sports bribery scandals dealt travel act see senate hearings attorney general kennedy opening statement senate house hearings expressed concern gamblers bribed college basketball players shave points games house hearings senate hearings consideration related bill grant immunity witnesses testifying labor racketeering cases repeated reference made need curb bribery labor management officials involved labor disputes see house hearings suggested references immunity bill intended define content bribery travel act yet indicate congress use word narrow sense petitioner also contends commercial bribery management offense generally associated organized criminal activities see brecht cert denied argues congress intended encompass commercial bribery within notion bribery private persons unrelated unknown called organized crime foundation hearings travel act make clear major area congressional concern infiltration organized crime legitimate activities house hearings remarks chairman celler legitimate businesses come used means highly organized criminal activities hide income derived illegal sources moreover committees investigating activities found infiltrated legitimate businesses often used criminal techniques expand operations sales legitimate enterprises thus discussing infiltration organized groups nongambling amusement games mcclellan committee reported organization achieved holdings legitimate business force terror corruption management union public officials final report select committee improper activities labor management field indeed mcclellan committee like kefauver committee documented numerous specific instances use commercial bribery organized groups control legitimate businesses mcclellan committee example reported particular shylocking operation began new york persons able obtain substantial unsecured line credit new york bank making gifts two bank officials kefauver committee explored among numerous others relationship official ford motor persons believed members organized illegal groups evidence suggested organized crime exploited relationship obtain ford dealerships hauling contracts third interim report special committee investigate organized crime interstate commerce see also expressing concern corruption college basketball players talked controlling score game little doubt congress recognized bribery private persons widely used highly organized criminal efforts infiltrate gain control legitimate businesses area special concern congress enacting travel act approach ascertaining meaning bribery must guided holding nardello provision act review case respondents charged traveling interstate commerce intent engage extortion contrary laws pennsylvania violation pennsylvania extortion statute applied acts committed public officials however state outlawed particular conduct engaged appellees statute entitled blackmail nardello codefendants argued perrin congress intended use word extortion sense limited conduct public officials opinion chief justice warren unanimous rejected argument limiting definition extortion meaning holding congress used term generic contemporary sense noted attorney general pressed congress include shakedown rackets shylocking labor extortion methods frequently used organized groups generate income infiltrate legitimate activities rejecting nardello argument congress intended adopt meaning term extortion stated light scope congressional purpose decline give term extortion unnaturally narrow reading thus conclude acts appellees indicted fall within generic term extortion used travel act iv petitioner also contends broad interpretation meaning bribery serious federalism implications relies particularly rewis see also bass factual setting rewis different case confronted travel act prosecution proprietors gambling establishment located miles south state line evidence rewis employed interstate facilities conduct numbers operation moreover readily identify customers crossed state lines district instructed jury found third persons traveled georgia florida place bets sufficient supply interstate commerce element necessary sustain conviction proprietors act reversing cautioned setting expansive travel act alter sensitive relationships overextend limited federal police resources transform relatively minor state offenses federal felonies reliance federalism principles articulated rewis dictate narrow interpretation bribery misplaced concern tenuous interstate commerce element looking congressional intent light held congress intend travel act apply criminal activity within one state solely activity sometimes patronized persons another state ibid sufficiency interstate nexus longer issue rather long requisite interstate nexus present statute reflects clear deliberate intent part congress alter balance order reinforce state law enforcement defining unlawful activity congress clearly stated intention include violations state well federal bribery law statutes travel act contravene provision constitution choice congress courts hold congress intended bribery violation laws state committed used travel act encompass conduct violation state commercial bribery statutes accordingly judgment appeals affirmed footnotes also indicted petitioner duffy lafont david levy albert izuel jim haddox proceedings izuel haddox severed trial charges subsequently dismissed louisiana commercial bribery statute la rev stat ann west provides part commercial bribery giving offering give directly indirectly anything apparent present prospective value private agent employee fiduciary without knowledge consent principal employer intent influence agent employee fiduciary action relation principal employer affairs government claimed trial perrin purposefully chose supplier less likely notice leasing activities louisiana phone calls louisiana richmond willis levy subsequent shipment materials richmond firm louisiana continental bus held provide interstate nexus jurisdictionally required support travel act prosecutions lafont levy also convicted appeals affirmed petitions certiorari filed lafont levy pending perrin contentions including claim asserted ambiguity travel act resulted failure provide adequate notice conduct violated federal well louisiana laws merit discussion examples federal statutes make illegal giving receiving payments influence private duties without using word bribery found prohibiting payments bank officers influence consideration loans prohibiting payments contractors secure subcontracts prohibiting payments labor union officials statutes currently codified stat west enacted la rev stat ann west enacted mass laws ch west enacted comp laws enacted miss code ann enacted neb rev stat enacted penal law mckinney supp enacted stat enacted stat tit purdon enacted laws enacted code enacted stat tit enacted code enacted stat enacted also enacted private bribery statutes reaching labor banking sports bribery current codifications statutes found code sports alaska stat ann telegraph agent rev stat ann alcoholic beverages sports ark stat ann sports banking cal penal code ann west cal fin code ann west sports telegraph agent banking rev stat sports del code tit sports stat sports haw rev stat sports rev ch sports ind code common carrier sports iowa code sports rev stat alcoholic beverages sports rev stat tit labor md ann code art sports stat sports mo rev stat sports mont code ann telegraph agent rev stat labor telegraph agent stat ann west banking labor sports ohio rev code ann sports okla tit sports rev stat telegraph agent comp laws ann architects code ann common carriers sports tex penal code ann attorneys sports rev code sports labor code sports since eight adopted nonpublic official bribery statutes georgia kansas new hampshire new mexico north dakota wyoming statutes moreover number commercial bribery statute today see also ali model penal code pp comments tent draft relations recognized society involving special trust kept secure corrupting influence bribery ali model penal code prop draft containing specific prohibition commercial bribery although congressional hearings subsequent passage travel act relied support conclusion bribery private persons familiar tool organized criminal groups see organized crime stolen securities hearings subcommittee investigations senate committee government operations bribing employees banking institutions accept pledges worthless stolen securities employees brokerage houses steal securities organized crime techniques converting worthless securities cash hearings house select committee crime bribing insurance company presidents buy worthless securities company organized crime securities thefts frauds hearings permanent subcommittee investigations senate committee government operations bribing certified public accountants employees financial institutions brokerage houses analysis leads us reject application maxim statutory construction ambiguity concerning ambit criminal statutes resolved favor lenity bell although bell general rule cases courts faced genuine ambiguity rule lenity applies uncertain statute meaning used complete disregard purpose legislature culbert quoting scarborough nardello leaves little room uncertainty statute meaning