A bill to amend the provisions of title 39, United States Code, relating to the use of the frank, and for other purposes.

Summary

Repeals a provision of Federal law which allows Members of Congress to send personal condolences and congratulations as franked mail. Extends from 28 to 60 days the period preceding an election during which a Member or Member-elect running for reelection may not send any mass mailing as franked mail. Prohibits any Member of or Member-elect to the House who is running for another public office from using his or her franking privilege for any mass mailing which is: (1) directed to any area outside the Member's or Member-elect's congressional district; or (2) mailed fewer than 60 days before the election for such public office. Exempts from such restrictions any mass mailings relating to the regular business of any committee or commission of Congress or the Democratic conference or the Republican caucus of either House. Permits all Members and Members-elect of Congress (currently restricted to Members and Members-elect of the House) to send franked mail with a simplified form of address within their congressional districts by the most economical means practicable. Limits the total number of pieces of such mail which may be sent during a calendar year. Requires Members and Members-elect of the House of Representatives to submit samples of mail to be franked to the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards for an advisory opinion on compliance with franking standards. Prohibits a Member-elect from sending as franked mail any mail for which the printing costs are not paid from funds appropriated by Congress, excluding public service material that is purely instructional or informational and is frankable in content. Revises the time period following the end of the terms of office of Members and certain officers of Congress and the Vice President during which such officials may send and receive public documents as franked mail, and during which such former Members of Congress may send seeds and agricultural reports as franked mail. Extends to surviving relatives the franking privilege of the spouse of a Member of Congress who died in office in the event there is no surviving spouse (such privilege covers only mail relating to the death of such Member mailed within 180 days of death). Extends the authority of the Commission to cover advisory opinions involving any non-criminal law regarding franked mail. Authorizes the Commission to issue regulations or investigate franking privilege violations in connection with any other Federal law (other than criminal statutes) or in connection with any rule of the House relating to franked mail. Extends the Commission's jurisdiction over franking violations to include complaints against former Members and officers of the House.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

4 official files

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 27 October 1981

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Passed Senate amended

  summary · EN · 20 July 1981

  Open at official source

• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 17 July 1981

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 19 May 1981

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.