Members' Congressional Handbook
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
During
each session of Congress, each Member has a single Members'
Representational Allowance (MRA) available to support
the conduct of official and representational duties
to the district from which elected. Ordinary and necessary
expenses incurred by the Member or the Member's employees
within the United States, its territories, and possessions
in support of the conduct of the Member's official and
representational duties to the district from which elected
are reimbursable in accordance with the regulations
contained in this Members' Congressional Handbook.
Ordinary
and necessary means reasonable expenditures in support
of official and representational duties to the district
from which elected that are consistent with all applicable
federal laws, Rules of the House of Representatives,
and regulations of the Committee on House Administration.
The following
regulations of the Committee on House Administration,
collectively known as the Members' Congressional Handbook
(Handbook), govern all expenditures from the MRA.
The Handbook
regulations are guidelines that assist Members in determining
whether expenses are reimbursable. Therefore, the Handbook
contains broad descriptions of reimbursable expenses,
but is not an exhaustive list of such expenses.
Questions
about reimbursement of an expense should be directed
to the Committee on House Administration at x58281 prior
to incurring the expense.
Reimbursement
will not be allowed for expenses that are specifically
prohibited.
For all
questions relating to equipment and equipment-related
issues, refer to the User's Guide to Purchasing Equipment,
Software, and Related Services, available from the Committee
on House Administration.
Routine
administrative requests (equipment, computer services,
etc.) should be directed to the appropriate administrative
offices under the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
For further information relating to any of the CAO's
services, please refer to the CAO's Web site on the
Intranet (http://onlinecao.house.gov/) or call First
Call/One Call at x58000.
MEMBERS'
REPRESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCE
General
When an expense is incurred, the Member must determine
the primary purpose for the expenditure. Is the primary
purpose for the expenditure official and representational?
Or is it primarily related to personal, political, campaign,
or committee activities? Only expenses the primary purpose
of which are official and representational and which
are incurred in accordance with the Handbook are reimbursable.
1. The
MRA may only be used for official and representational
expenses.
2. A
Member may expend personal funds in support of his official
and representational duties.
3. The
MRA may not be used to pay for any expenses related
to activities or events which are primarily social in
nature.
4. The
MRA may not pay for personal expenses.
5. The
MRA may not pay for campaign expenses.
6. The
MRA may not pay for political expenses.
7. The
MRA may not pay for committee expenses.
8. Committee
resources may not pay for a Member's official and representational
expenses.
9. Campaign
funds may not pay for a Member's official and representational
expenses.
10. A
Member may not maintain, or have maintained for his
use, an unofficial office account for the purpose of
defraying or reimbursing ordinary and necessary expenses
incurred in support of a Member's official and representational
duties.
11. A
Member may not accept from any private source in kind
support having monetary value for an official activity.
12. Only
appropriated funds, not personal or unofficial funds,
may be used to pay for mail sent under the frank.
13. Each
Member is personally responsible for the payment of
any official and representational expenses incurred
that exceed the provided MRA or that are incurred but
are not reimbursable under these regulations.
14. Unless
specifically authorized by an applicable provision of
federal law, House Rules, or Committee Regulations,
no Member, relative of the Member, or anyone with whom
the Member has a professional or legal relationship
may directly benefit from the expenditure of the MRA.
15. The
MRA is available for services provided and expenses
incurred from January 3 of one year through January
2 of the following year. All expenses incurred will
be charged to the allowance available on the date the
services were provided or the expenses were incurred.
16. The
MRA is not transferable between years.
17. Requests
to obligate prior year's funds after January 2 of the
succeeding year will be considered by the Committee
when a Member provides documentation demonstrating a
bona fide intent to obligate the prior year's funds
during the applicable year.
Budgeting
and Disclosure
The Committee recommends that each Member establish
an annual budget for the MRA. To assist in this process,
the Office of Finance sends each Member monthly statements
showing year-to-date expenditures and obligated amounts.
The quarterly expenditures reflected in these statements
are compiled and published as the Quarterly Statement
of Disbursements, which is a public document.
Disbursements
Disbursements from the MRA are made on a reimbursable
or direct payment basis and require specific documentation
and Member certification as to accuracy and compliance
with applicable federal laws, House Rules, and Committee
Regulations.
Reimbursements
and payments from the MRA may be made only to the Member,
the Member's employees, or a vendor providing services
to support the operation of the Member's offices.
See Disbursements
(42).
Incidental
Use
Incidental personal use of equipment and supplies owned
or leased by, or the cost of which is reimbursed by,
the House of Representatives is permitted only when
such use is negligible in nature, frequency, time consumed,
and expense.
For example,
limited use of government resources to access the Internet,
to send or receive personal e-mail, or to make personal
phone calls is permissible, so long as the use meets
the above criteria, and otherwise conforms with the
Regulations of the Committee on House Administration
and the Code of Official Conduct (House Rule XXIV).
A Member
office may adopt a more restrictive incidental use policy.
Overspending
Each member is personally responsible for the payment
of any official and representational expenses incurred
that exceed the provided MRA. If a Member incurs an
obligation to the U.S. House of Representatives and
the amount of the obligation incurred exceeds the MRA,
the Member shall pay the obligation from personal funds.
If the Member fails to pay the obligation voluntarily,
the CAO will deduct the amount owed from any pay, mileage,
or expense money due to the Member in the case of a
sitting Member or through an administrative offset or
legal action in the case of a former Member. The Office
of Finance will notify a Member if that Member is projected
to overspend the MRA.
Contact
the Office of Finance at x57474 or the Committee on
House Administration at x58281 for assistance with accounting
and budgeting.
Telecommuting
Ordinary and necessary telecommuting expenses incurred
in compliance with the Committee on House Administration
telecommuting policy are reimbursable. Offices may obtain
a copy of the Telecommuting policy and agreement by
clicking
here.
STAFF
General
Each Member is the employing authority; the Member determines
the terms and conditions of employment and service for
their staff. These terms and conditions must be consistent
with applicable federal laws and House Rules.
1. Personnel
actions affecting employment positions in the House
of Representatives must be free from discrimination
based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex
(including marital or parental status), service in the
military, disability, or age.
2. A
Member may not retain an employee on the Member's payroll
who does not perform official duties commensurate with
the compensation received for the offices of the employing
authority. (House Rule XXIV, clause 8(a)).
3. Employee
means an individual appointed to a position of employment
in the House of Representatives by an authorized employing
authority including individuals receiving pay disbursed
by the CAO and individuals in a Leave Without Pay or
Furlough status.
4. Staff
means all individuals including employees, fellows,
unpaid interns, and volunteers who serve in the office
of a Member.
5. Annual
rates of pay may not exceed the amount specified in
the Speaker's Pay Order.
6. Total
compensation in any month including any lump sum and
regular pay (including cash reimbursement for accrued
annual leave) may not exceed 1/12th of the maximum rate
of pay specified in the Speaker's Pay Order.
7. Retroactive
pay adjustments are not authorized.
8. Government
contributions to retirement, life insurance, Thrift
Savings Plan, and health benefits programs are not charged
to the MRA.
9. Each
month, Member Offices receive a Payroll Certification
Form from the Office of Human Resources that lists the
annual pay and gross pay earned for each employee. If
an employee is a relative of a current Member of Congress,
the nature of the relationship to the Member must be
noted on the Payroll Certification Form. The Member
must certify the information and return the form to
the Office of Human Resources no later than the 18th
day of the month. Contact Human Resources at x51435
for payroll forms.
Categories
of Staff
Employee
Ceiling
Under 2 U.S.C. § 92 each Member of the House of Representatives
may employ 18 permanent employees and 4 additional employees.
The 4 additional employees must be appointed to one
of the following categories:
1. Interns
2. Part-time
employees
3. Shared
employees
4. Temporary
employees
5. Employees
on leave without pay
Employees
The term employee means an individual appointed to a
position of employment in the House of Representatives
by an authorized employing authority including individuals
receiving pay disbursed by the CAO and individuals in
a Leave Without Pay or Furlough status.
Interns
Interns, paid or unpaid, must perform services for the
Member as part of a demonstrated educational plan. Each
Member is responsible for determining the activities
of the Member's interns.
Paid
interns may work for no more than 120 days in a 12-month
period and are not employees for purposes of compliance
with the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the
Fair Labor Standards Act. The
gross annual rate of intern pay ($21,600) is established
by the Committee on House Administration. For
the current applicable rate, contact the Committee on
House Administration at x58281.
In regard
to unpaid interns, Members must comply with the rules
and regulations established by the Committee on Standards
of Official Conduct (x57103).
Interns
are ineligible for the following benefits:
1. Federal
Employees' Retirement System
2. Federal
life insurance
3. Federal
health insurance
4. Thrift
Savings Plan
Part-time
Employees
The term part-time employee means an individual who
is employed by the Member and whose normally assigned
work schedule is not more than the equivalent of 15
full working days per month.
Temporary
Employees
The term temporary employee means an individual who
is employed for a specific purpose or task and who is
employed for not more than 90 days in a 12-month period,
except that the term of such employment may be extended
with the written approval of the Committee on House
Administration.
Temporary
employees are ineligible for the following benefits:
1. Federal
Employees' Retirement System
2. Federal
life insurance
3. Federal
health insurance
4. Thrift
Savings Plan
Shared
Employees
The term shared employee means an employee who is paid
by more than one employing authority of the House of
Representatives.
1. Two
or more employing authorities of the House may employ
an individual.
2. Such
shared employees must work out of the office of an employing
authority, but are not required to work in the office
of each employing authority. The pay from each employing
authority shall reflect the duties actually performed
for each employing authority. The name, title, and pay
of such an individual will appear on each employing
authority's Payroll Certification. Such employees may
not receive pay totaling more than the highest rate
of basic pay in the Speaker's Pay Order applicable to
the positions they occupy.
3. Employees
may not be shared between a Member or Committee office
and the office of an Officer of the House if the employee,
in the course of duties for an Officer, has access to
the financial information, payroll information, equipment
account information, or information systems of either
Member, Committee, or Leadership offices.
See Dual
Compensation (10).
Employees
on Leave Without Pay
See Leave Without Pay (14).
Annuitants
Civilian
Annuitant
If a Member employs a Federal civil service annuitant,
the amount of the annual annuity, when added to the
annual rate of pay at which the employee is to be paid
by the Member, may not exceed the highest rate of basic
pay as authorized by the Speaker's Pay Order. The combined
total of the civil service annuity and the amount of
the salary will be charged to the MRA.
Waivers
Member offices will not be granted waivers of applicable
annuity reductions or pay reductions.
Consultants
Only committees are authorized, pursuant to 2 U.S.C.
§ 72a, to procure the temporary services of consultants.
Consultants
are not authorized for Member Offices.
Contractors
Members may contract with firms or individuals only
for general, non-legislative, office services (e.g.
equipment maintenance, systems integration, data entry,
staff training, photography, custodial services) for
a specific, limited period not to exceed the Member's
term. Such contracts are reimbursable. Such contractors
are not employees of the House and are ineligible for
government-provided benefits.
Contractors
do not count against the Member's Employee Ceiling.
Members
are advised to consult the Committee on House Administration
when entering into such contracts.
See Custodial
Services (23), Educational Expenses (16), Interpreting
and Translation Services (18), Temporary Agencies (7),
and Web Sites (36).
Detailees
The term detailee means a non-Congressional federal
employee assigned to a committee for a period of up
to one year.
Detailees
may not be assigned to a Member office (2 U.S.C. §72a(f)).
Fellows
The term fellow means an individual performing services
in a House office on a temporary basis as part of an
established mid-career education program while continuing
to receive the usual compensation from his or her sponsoring
employer.
Fellows
may be assigned to a Member office.
Fellows
do not count against the Member's Employee Ceiling.
The use
of fellows is subject to regulations established by
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Contact
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct at x57103.
Temporary
Agencies
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to services
provided by an individual employed by a temporary agency
are reimbursable if the following conditions are met:
1. Payment
for such services is commensurate with the official
duties performed by the individual.
2. Such
an individual remains an employee of the agency and
is not eligible for pay, benefits, rights, or privileges
available to House employees.
3. The
total of such individuals and employees may not exceed
22 individuals.
See Contractors
(7).
Volunteers
The term volunteer means an individual performing services
in a House office without compensation from any source.
The voluntary
service should be of significant educational benefit
to the participant and such voluntary assistance should
not supplant the normal and regular duties of paid employees.
Volunteers
should be required to agree, in advance and in writing,
to serve without compensation. (31 U.S.C. § 1342 &
Comp. Gen. Op. B69907).
Volunteers
do not count against the Member's Employee Ceiling.
The use
of volunteers is subject to regulations established
by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Contact
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct at x57103.
Employment
Law
Congressional
Accountability Act
Pursuant to the Congressional Accountability Act House
employing offices are accountable under the following
laws:
1. Fair
Labor Standards Act of 1938
2. Title
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
3. The
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
4. The
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
5. The
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
6. The
Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988
7. Worker
Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
8. The
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
9. Veterans'
Reemployment Rights
10. Federal
Labor-Management Relations
11. The
public service and accommodations provisions of the
Americans with Disabilities Act
12. The
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
The Office
of Compliance has published A Guide to the Congressional
Accountability Act of 1995, which is available from
the Office of Compliance, Room LA-200, John Adams Building,
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540-1999, (202)
724-9250. The Office of Compliance also provides materials
that employing offices can use to notify employees of
their rights and protections under the CAA.
A Model
Employee Handbook providing sample office policies to
assist in developing an organization that complies with
applicable laws and House Rules is available on the
House Intranet Web Site: http://intranet.house.gov/
The Office
of House Employment Counsel is available to provide
advice and guidance on employment matters generally,
and on establishing office policies consistent with
these laws, x57075.
Nepotism
1. Under the federal statute prohibiting nepotism (5
U.S.C. § 3110) the term public official includes: a
Member, an employee and any other individual, in whom
is vested the authority by law, rule, or regulation,
or to whom the authority has been delegated, to appoint,
employ, promote, or advance individuals, or to recommend
individuals for appointment, employment, promotion,
or advancement.
2. Such
a public official may not appoint, employ, promote,
advance or advocate for appointment, employment, promotion,
or advancement in or to a position in the office in
which that public official is serving or over which
that public official exercises jurisdiction or control
any individual who is a relative of that public official.
3. Every
employee must certify relationship to any Member of
Congress on a certificate of relationship form available
from Human Resources. If, at any time, the relationship
of an employee to any current Member of Congress changes
the employee must file an amended certificate of relationship
form with the employing office. Contact Human Resources
at x51435 for such forms.
4. Individuals
with the following relationship to the Member may not
be employed by the Member:
Aunt
Half-sister
Son-in-law
Brother
Husband
Stepbrother
Brother-in-law
Mother
Stepdaughter
Daughter
Mother-in-law
Stepfather
Daughter-in-law
Nephew
Stepmother
Father
Niece
Stepsister
Stepson
Father-in-law
Sister
First cousin
Sister-in-law
Uncle
Half-brother
Son
Wife
However,
if a House employee becomes related to the employing
Member (by marriage) the employee may remain on the
Member's personal or committee payroll. Similarly, if
a Member becomes the employing authority of a relative
who was hired by someone else (e.g., the Member ascends
to the chairmanship of a Committee or subcommittee for
which the relative is already working) the relative
may remain on the payroll. However, the Member may not
then give that individual further promotions or raises,
other than cost-of-living or other across-the-board
adjustments.
The statute
does not prohibit a Member from employing two individuals
who are related to each other but not to the Member
(See, House Ethics Manual, pp. 187 and 188).
Contact
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct at x57103
for further information.
Non-Disclosure
Oath
House Rule XLIII, clause 13, requires Members and employees
to execute an oath of non-disclosure before having access
to classified information.
Post-Employment
Restriction
Members and employees paid at a rate equal to or greater
than 75% of the basic rate of pay of a Member for at
least 60 days in the one-year period preceding termination
are subject to post-employment restrictions. For the
current applicable rate and information regarding the
applicable restrictions, contact the Committee on Standards
of Official Conduct, Office of Advice and Education,
at x57103.
Working
from Home due to a Disability
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), a Member may reasonably accommodate a qualified
employee with a disability by allowing the employee
to work at home. As a condition of such a request, the
Member may require certification from a physician of
the need for such accommodation.
See Congressional
Accountability Act (8) and Telecommunications (21).
Pay
Appointment
The official appointment of each employee requires the
Member's signature on the payroll authorization form.
Required payroll forms must be received by Human Resources
no later than the last business day of the month in
which the appointment is effective. Subsequent adjustments
to a payroll appointment (pay adjustments, title changes,
furlough status, terminations, etc.) must also be made
on the appropriate forms. Such forms are due at Human
Resources by the 18th day of the month in which the
adjustment is effective.
Dual
Compensation
The aggregate gross annual salary of an employee receiving
payment from the House who is also receiving payment
from the U.S. Senate, Architect of the Capitol, or any
other department or agency of the U.S. Government, may
not exceed the gross annual rate established by 5 U.S.C.§5533.
For the current applicable dual compensation rate, contact
the Office of Human Resources, Payroll Department, at
x5-1435.
Financial
Disclosure
Members and employees receiving basic pay at a rate
equal to or greater than 120 percent of the minimum
pay for GS-15 for at least 60 days during any calendar
year must file a Financial Disclosure Statement upon
appointment, termination, and annually on May 15th.
For the current applicable rate, contact the Committee
on Standards of Official Conduct, Office of Advice and
Education at x57103.
Each Member's
office that does not have an employee paid at or above
the threshold must designate one employee as the "Principal
Assistant" who must file a Financial Disclosure Statement.
Ordinary
and necessary expenses incurred by Members and their
employees, in support of the filing of reports consistent
with the provisions of the Ethics in Government Act,
are reimbursable.
Contact
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct at x57103.
Lump
Sum Payments
A Member may authorize a lump sum payment to an employee
for any purpose consistent with the following:
1. Payments
must be consistent with House Rule XXIV, clause 8(a),
which requires that employees perform official duties
commensurate with the compensation received. Employees
may not be compensated from public funds to perform
non-official, personal, political, or campaign activities
on behalf of the Member, the employee, or anyone else.
2. A
lump sum payment may not be more than the monthly pay
of the employee receiving the lump sum payment.
3. Lump
sum payments may be for services performed during more
than one month.
4. Members
may provide lump sum payments for accrued annual leave
only if such leave was accrued in accordance with written
personnel policies established prior to the accrual
of such leave.
5. Total
compensation in any month including any lump sum payment
and regular pay (including cash reimbursement for accrued
annual leave) may not exceed 1/12th of the maximum rate
of pay specified in the Speaker's Pay Order.
6. Lump
Sum Payments will be disclosed separately in the Quarterly
Statement of Disbursements.
7. Lump
sum payments are considered as part of "rate of pay"
under the Speaker's Pay Order.
8. Lump
sum payments are considered "supplemental wages" for
taxation.
9. Lump
sum payments are not considered as part of "basic pay"
for calculating Thrift Savings Plan, life insurance,
and federal pensions.
10. Contact
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct at x57103
for information on the treatment of lump-sum payments
with regard to financial disclosure, post-employment
restrictions, and outside earned income limitations.
See Pay
Adjustments (12).
Outside
Earned Income
Members
and employees receiving basic pay at a rate equal to
or greater than 120 percent of the minimum basic pay
for GS-15 for at least 90 days in a calendar year are
subject to the outside earned income limitation established
by 5 U.S.C. app 4 § 501 (a)(1) and House Rule 25, cl.
1 (a)(1).
For the
current applicable rate of basic pay, the amount of
the limit and application of the House Rule, contact
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, Office
of Advice and Education, at x57103.
Overtime
Wage Rate Compensation
Employees who are covered by the minimum wage and overtime
provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act ("non-exempt")
must be compensated at time-and-a half for all hours
worked in excess of 40 hours during any work week, either
in pay or in time-off during the same pay period in
accordance with consistently applied office personnel
policies.
Overtime
wage sheets must be received by Human Resources no later
than the 18th day of the month following the month in
which overtime wages were earned.
Contact
Human Resources at x52450 for the appropriate forms.
Contact
the Office of House Employment Counsel at x57075 for
assistance in establishing overtime and time-off policies.
Pay
Adjustments
Members may adjust, in any month, an employee's pay
to reflect exceptional, meritorious, or less than satisfactory
service.
Such
adjustments must be received by Human Resources by the
18th day of the month in which the adjustment is to
be effective.
Retroactive
pay adjustments are not authorized.
See Lump
Sum Payments (11).
Payroll
Schedule
The monthly payroll is based on a 30-day pay period.
(5 U.S.C. §5505).
Payment
is made on the last business day of the month. (5 U.S.C.
§5505).
Rates
of Compensation
Members are responsible for adhering to the applicable
minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards
Act ($5.15 per hour as of September 1, 1997).
Interns
are not employees for purposes of compliance with the
minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor
Standards Act.
The maximum
rate of pay established for Member Offices by Order
of the Speaker is $153,022 as of January 1, 2004 .
Terminations
Terminations must be made on a Payroll Authorization
Form and submitted to Human Resources as soon as the
date of termination is known. If the termination notice
is received by Human Resources after the 18th day of
the month, the payroll check for that month may have
already been processed. If an employee is overpaid,
the Member is responsible for obtaining reimbursement.
Leave
General
The Member determines the terms and conditions of employment,
including provisions for leave (e.g. Annual, Administrative,
and Sick).
Contact
the Office of House Employment Counsel at x57075 for
model leave policies.
Family
and Medical Leave (FMLA)
A person employed by the House for at least one year
and for a total of at least 1,250 hours during the previous
12-month period is entitled to up to a total of 12 weeks
of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for the following
family and medical reasons:
1. For
the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child.
2. To
adopt a child or to receive a child in foster care.
3. To
care for a spouse, son, daughter, or parent who has
a serious health condition.
4. For
the employee's own serious health condition which makes
the employee unable to perform the functions of his
or her job. (29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.)
Employees
on Family and Medical Leave remain eligible for all
benefits.
Furlough
Furlough is an absence without pay initiated by the
Member. Placement in Furlough status is at the discretion
of the Member, unless statute otherwise requires placement
in such status.
1. To
be eligible for appointment to Furlough status at the
discretion of the Member, an employee must have been
employed by the Member for the entire month prior to
the effective date of Furlough status.
2. An
employee placed in a Furlough status continues to fill
an employee position. The name of such employees will
be listed on the monthly payroll certification forms.
3. Continuation
of employee benefits while in a Furlough status:
a. Health
benefits enrollment and coverage may be continued for
up to 12 months. However, to maintain such enrollment
and coverage, an employee placed in a Furlough status
is responsible for the payment of the employee's portion
of the insurance premium for the period of the Furlough
status, either by direct payment or by incurring a debt
to the House. Employees should contact Human Resources
for more information on applicable regulations.
b. Life
insurance continues for up to 12 months without employee
contribution.
c. Retirement
coverage continues without employee contribution. Up
to 6 months in a calendar year is credited for service
in the annuity computation.
4. The
placement of an employee in a Furlough status must be
made on the appropriate form provided by Human Resources
and received no later than the 18th day of the month
in which the placement is to be effective. Contact Human
Resources at x52450 for such forms.
Contact
Human Resources at x52450 for information on employee
benefits while on Furlough.
Jury
and Witness Duty
Under 2 U.S.C. § 130b, the pay of an employee shall
not be reduced during a period of absence with respect
to which the employee is summoned as a juror; or as
a witness on behalf of any party in connection with
any judicial proceeding to which the United States or
a State or local government is a party.
An employee
may not receive fees for service as juror in a court
of the United States or the District of Columbia; or
as a witness on behalf of the United States or the District
of Columbia. If an employee receives an amount (other
than travel expenses) for service as a juror or witness
in such a court the employee must remit such amount
to the Office of Finance for deposit in the general
fund of the Treasury.
Leave
Without Pay (LWOP)
LWOP is an absence without pay. LWOP status is initiated
by the employee and is subject to Member approval, unless
statute otherwise requires placement in such leave status.
To be eligible, an employee must have been employed
by the Member for the entire month prior to the effective
date of the LWOP status.
1. As
a basic condition for approval of LWOP status, there
should be a reasonable assurance that the employee will
return to duty at the end of the approved period. Members
are encouraged to contact the Committee on Standards
of Official Conduct at x57103 prior to approving a LWOP
status request to confirm that no conflict of interest
issues exist.
2. LWOP
status should be requested in advance of the period
of absence.
3. LWOP
status may not exceed 12 months in a 24-month period.
4. When
an employee has been appointed to LWOP status, he or
she continues to fill a payroll position. The name of
such employees will be listed on the monthly payroll
certification forms.
5. Continuation
of Employee Benefits while on LWOP status:
a. Health
benefits enrollment and coverage may be continued for
up to 12 months. However, to maintain such enrollment
and coverage, an employee placed in a LWOP status is
responsible for the payment of the employee's portion
of the insurance premium for the period of the LWOP
status, either by direct payment or by incurring a debt
to the House. Employees should contact Human Resources
for more information on applicable regulations.
b. Life
insurance continues for up to 12 months without employee
contribution.
c. Retirement
coverage continues without employee contribution. Up
to 6 months in a calendar year is credited for service
in the annuity computation.
6. The
placement of an employee on LWOP status must be made
on the payroll authorization form available from Human
Resources and received by Human Resources no later than
the 18th day of the month in which the placement is
to be effective. Contact Human Resources at x52450 for
such forms.
Contact
Human Resources at x52450 for information on employee
benefits while on LWOP.
Military
Leave
Employees who are members of a National Guard or Armed
Forces Reserves unit are entitled to leave without loss
in pay, time, or performance or efficiency rating for
active duty or engaging in field or coast defense training
as a Reserve of the armed forces or member of the National
Guard. Leave accrues for an employee or individual at
the rate of 15 days per fiscal year and, to the extent
that it is not used in a fiscal year, accumulates for
use in the succeeding fiscal year until it totals 15
days at the beginning of a fiscal year. (5 U.S.C. §
6323).
Contact
the Office of House Employment Counsel for additional
information on the rights, benefits, and obligations
of individuals absent from employment for service in
a uniformed service. (38 U.S.C. §§ 4317 - 4319).
OFFICIAL
& REPRESENTATIONAL EXPENSES
General
Appliances
Ordinary and necessary expenses for small appliances
(microwaves, coffee makers, etc.) for use in the Member's
congressional offices are reimbursable.
Equipment
that exceeds $500 in value must be added to the Member's
office inventory.
Contact
Office Systems Management at x53994 to revise an office
inventory.
An
Artistic Discovery, The Congressional Art Competition
Ordinary and necessary expenses, within a category of
authorized official and representational expenses, related
to the congressional art competition, An Artistic Discovery,
are reimbursable.
A Member
may not mail An Artistic Discovery entry under the Frank.
Shipping An Artistic Discovery entry by means other
than the Frank is reimbursable.
Certificates
Certificates of recognition to a person who has achieved
some public distinction for distribution in connection
with official and representational duties are reimbursable.
Certificates
must comply with the Franking Regulations.
Contact
the Franking Commission at x59337.
See Gifts
and Donations (17).
Clipping
Services
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to clipping
services (newspapers, periodicals, magazines, etc.)
are reimbursable.
See Publications
(20).
Decorating
Expenses
Decorations of nominal value (such as frames, bookends,
flags, seals, etc.) for Congressional offices are reimbursable.
Contact
the Committee on House Administration at x58281 for
a list of government agencies that provide wall decorations
free of charge.
See Framing
(17) and Furniture (17).
Deposits
Security and other deposits are not reimbursable and
must be paid from the Member's personal funds. Each
Member should notify vendors that any return of deposits
should be made to the Member.
See Advance
Payments (42), District Office Leases (23), Booths (27),
and Officially Leased Vehicles (40).
Drug
Testing
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to drug testing,
in accordance with the Member's written drug-testing
policy, are reimbursable.
Offices
should consult with the Office of House Employment Counsel
at x57075 when establishing drug-testing policies.
Dues
Dues, membership fees, assessments, and annual fees
are not reimbursable. (5 U.S.C. § 5946).
Educational
Expenses
Ordinary and necessary expenses for Members or employees
to attend conferences, seminars, briefings, professional
training, and informational programs related to the
official and representational duties to the district
from which elected are reimbursable.
1. Members
or employees may not be reimbursed for expenses to attend
educational programs in order to obtain a primary, secondary,
graduate, post-graduate, or professional degree.
2. Expenses
associated with acquiring or maintaining professional
certification or licensing are not reimbursable.
See Advance
Payments (42) and Contractors (7).
Employment-Related
Expenses
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to filling employment
vacancies are reimbursable.
The following
expenses are not reimbursable:
1. Transportation
to and from employment interviews.
2. Relocation
expenses upon acceptance or termination of employment.
3. Relocation
expenses incidental to a change in duty station.
Flags
U.S. flags for purchase by individuals may be obtained
by a Member from the Office Supply Service (OSS) (x53321).
Initially, the costs of the flags will be charged to
the MRA. Once payment for a flag is received by the
Member office, the office may submit the check to OSS.
OSS will credit the Member's account.
If a
request is made to have a U.S. flag flown over the Capitol,
an additional flag flying fee must be paid by the individual
purchasing the flag. See Gifts and Donations (17).
Food
and Beverage Expenses
Members and employees may be reimbursed for food and
beverage expenses incidental to an official and representational
meeting that includes a person(s) who is not a Member
or employee of the House.
Members
and employees may not be reimbursed for food and beverage
expenses related to social activities or social events
(e.g. hospitality, receptions, entertainment, holiday
or personal celebrations, and swearing-in or inauguration
day celebrations).
Members
and employees may not be reimbursed for the cost of
alcoholic beverages.
See Town
Hall Meetings (21).
Framing
Framing services for items to be displayed in the Member's
Congressional offices are reimbursable. In Washington,
D.C., when a Member uses the in-House framing service
provided by the CAO, charges will be automatically charged
to the MRA.
See Decorating
Expenses (16) and Gifts and Donations (17).
Furniture
Furniture (furniture, carpet, drapes, etc. (including
repairs) for Washington, D.C., congressional offices
are supplied and maintained by the CAO through the Offices
Services (x53994) without charge to the MRA. Furniture
for the Washington, D.C., congressional offices is not
reimbursable.
Gifts
and Donations
Only the following gifts and donations are reimbursable:
1. Items
purchased for official presentation when on official
travel for the House of Representatives outside the
United States, its territories and possessions. To purchase
items from the House Gift Shop, select the item(s) and
notify the sales clerk that it is for official presentation
business in the course of overseas travel. Receipts
for such items should be vouchered for payment to the
Office Supply Service, and the voucher description should
note that it is for official presentation in the course
of overseas travel.
2. U.S.
flags flown over the Capitol for official presentation
as a gift, including the flag flying fee, are reimbursable.
Such flags must be for the personal use of or display
by the recipient. Donations of flags purchased through
the MRA for fundraising activities are prohibited.
3. Ordinary
and necessary costs associated with the purchase of
presentation folders or frames, which are of nominal
value.
4. Informational
and educational federal government publications of nominal
value.
5. U.S.
Capitol Historical society publications of nominal value
(including calendars).
No other
gifts or donations are reimbursable.
See Flags
(16), Certificates (15), Framing (17), Congressional
Record (20), Printing and Production (33), Photography
Expenses (20), and Postal Expenses (33).
Greetings
Expenses related to the purchase or distribution of
greetings, including holiday celebrations, condolences,
and congratulations for personal distinctions (wedding
anniversaries, birthdays, etc.), are not reimbursable.
See the
Franking Regulations, available from the Franking Commission
at x59337 for information on recognition of public distinction.
See Certificates
(15).
Insurance
A Member may be asked to provide a certificate of insurance
for the purpose of entering into a lease for a district
office or for securing space in which to conduct a town-hall
meeting or other official and representational event.
The House does not carry a private insurance policy
and generally does not permit Members to use the MRA
to pay for a private insurance policy.
Under
the provisions of the Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C.
§ 2671-2680), the United States acts as a self-insurer
and recognizes liability for the negligent and wrongful
acts or omissions of its employees acting within the
scope of their official and representational duties.
The United States is liable to the same extent an individual
would be in like circumstances.
Although
the Federal Tort Claims Act is not the equivalent of
private liability insurance, it does provide an aggrieved
party with administrative recourse, and if that proves
unsatisfactory, legal recourse for damage or injury
sustained. Thus, to the extent negligent acts of Members
or congressional staff, while conducting official and
representational duties, result in either property damage
or bodily injury, such damage or injury should be compensable
under the Act in a manner that affords protection similar
to private liability insurance.
However,
if the provisions of the Federal Tort Claims Act are
not considered adequate, the ordinary and necessary
expenses for liability insurance to cover these risks
are reimbursable. When a compensable event occurs, the
deductible portion of a policy may be paid from the
MRA.
The expenses
of fire and theft insurance are not reimbursable.
Contact
the Office of the General Counsel at x59700 for guidance
regarding the Federal Tort Claims Act.
See Officially
Leased Vehicles (40).
Interpreting
and Translating Services
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to interpreting
and translating services, including accommodations under
the ADA, are reimbursable.
For events
held in House Office Buildings contact the Congressional
Special Services Office at x44048 and the Office of
ADA Services at x53005 for assistance.
Late
Fees
Ordinary and necessary fees related to late payments
incurred beyond the control of the Member are reimbursable.
Mass
Transit Benefit
Members and staff in Washington, DC or the district
are eligible for a mass transit benefit. For information
regarding this benefit, please contact CAO First Call
at x58000.
Messenger
Services
Ordinary and necessary expenses for messenger services
related to the Member's official and representational
duties are reimbursable.
Parking
1. Each Member is provided one garage parking permit
for the Member's use; at the prerogative of the Member,
this permit may be assigned to staff. In addition, each
Member is provided five indoor garage parking permits
and two outdoor lot parking permits.
a. Garage
parking spaces may be reserved. If a space is reserved
by an authorized permit holder, the permit holder incurs
additional taxable income as a working condition fringe
benefit. Under the tax code and IRS regulations, Members
and their staff have imputed taxable income to the extent
that the fair market value of Government-provided parking
exceeds $175.00/month (the value of the parking space
is subject to future adjustments).
b. When
a garage space is reserved, the Director of House Garages
and Parking Security will notify Human Resources. Government-provided
parking includes the combined value of parking spaces
in Washington, D.C., and the district. Contact Human
Resources at x52450 to make appropriate tax withholdings.
2. At
the beginning of each Congress, the Office of House
Garages and Parking Security will send parking permit
application forms to each Member's office. The Member
should designate on the forms, to whom garage or outside
parking space permits are to be issued, and with regard
to a garage space, whether the space is to be assigned
on a reserved or unreserved basis. The application forms
must include the individual's name, House of Representatives
ID number (where applicable), the model, color, and
year of the individual's automobile, and the automobile
license number and state.
3. All
offices must retrieve parking permits from departing
staff. Additionally, offices must notify House Garages
and Parking Security of any transfers or changes in
permit assignments. Notifications should be in writing
on official letterhead and include the Member's signature.
4. The
House of Representatives will not be liable for any
damage caused to or theft of any motor vehicle or the
contents thereof while parked on a House parking lot
when that lot is not attended.
Contact
the Committee on House Administration at x58281.
Photography
Expenses
Ordinary and necessary photography expenses related
to a Member's official and representational duties,
including but not limited to, the Member's official
photo, official photographs for distribution to constituents,
and photograph presentation folders and frames of nominal
value, are reimbursable.
In Washington,
D.C., contact the House Photography Studio at x52840
for services, charges, and availability.
Publications
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to purchasing
or subscribing to publications, including but not limited
to research materials, reference books, informational
brochures, electronic services, or periodicals are reimbursable.
All invoices
for subscriptions received by the Office of Finance
through the close of business January 2, will be debited
from the current MRA year. Subscriptions beginning on
January 1 or 2, may be debited from either allowance
year, as directed by the Member.
Subscriptions
may exceed the Member's term. Subscriptions that exceed
a Member's term in office will be assigned to the Member's
successor.
See Advance
Payments (42).
Congressional
Record
Costs related to providing Congressional Record subscriptions
to constituents, private entities, or public entities
are not reimbursable.
Offices
are authorized to purchase additional copies of the
Congressional Record, as necessary for office use.
Staff
Meetings
Members and staff may attend staff meetings at a Member-authorized
location in the Member's State or in the Capitol Hill
complex (U.S. Capitol, House and Senate Office Buildings,
Library of Congress, U.S. Botanic Gardens, and the U.S.
Supreme Court) for official and representational purposes,
and may seek reimbursement for expenses relating to
attendance at such meetings, provided that such expenses
are otherwise consistent with all other Handbook regulations.
The MRA
may not be used for social events or activities.
See Travel
(37), Educational Expenses (16), Food and Beverage Expenses
(17), and Contractors (7).
Supplies
Office supplies to support the conduct of the Member's
official and representational duties are reimbursable.
The Office
Supply Store (OSS) is located in Room B-217 Longworth
at x53321. OSS issues each Member an Account Card for
official purchases, which may only be used by the Member
and/or staff. The cost of all items purchased with the
Account Card is charged to the MRA.
Supplies
for a Member's district office may be procured in the
district through supply stores or through regional General
Services Administration (GSA) supply centers.
House
Gift Shop
OSS also operates a gift shop in B-217A Longworth which
sells souvenirs and mementos to Members, staff, and
the public. Gift Shop purchases may be made by cash,
check or credit card. A Member Account Card may not
be used to purchase items at the Gift Shop.
Contact
OSS for inquiries on special orders, deliveries, and
OSS statements at x53321.
See Gifts
and Donations (17).
Telecommunications
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to the official
use, including periodic or flat service fees, of telecommunications
lines (voice and data) in the residence of a Member
or employee are reimbursable. The cost of installation
of such lines is not reimbursable.
See Advance
Payments (42).
Town
Hall Meetings
A town hall meeting is an official meeting a Member
holds within the Member's district with their constituents
to facilitate the exchange of information regarding
the Member's official and representational duties.
Ordinary
and necessary expenses related to town hall meetings
are reimbursable.
Ordinary
and necessary expenses include, but are not limited
to, the following:
1. Advertisements
2. Rental
of rooms, chairs, audio systems
3. Audio/Video
Expenses
4. Interpreting
Services
5. ADA
Accommodations
6. Reporting
and transcription services
7. Electronic
Transmission (Not television)
8. Custodial
Services
9. Signs/banners/leaflets/flyers
that comply with the Franking Regulations
10. Security
Members
may invite any Member of Congress to participate in
their official town hall meeting. Travel expenses for
a guest Member or Senator are reimbursable from the
MRA of the host Member.
Town
Hall Meeting notices should include a contact person
to arrange for accommodations for persons with disabilities.
Members
and employees may not accept, from any private source,
in kind support having monetary value for a town hall
meeting. Contact the Committee on Standards of Official
Conduct at x57103.
Joint
Town Hall Meetings
Members may be reimbursed for ordinary and necessary
expenses associated with holding joint town hall meetings
with Members of the House of Representatives, representing
adjacent districts or United States Senators representing
the same state, as specified below.
1. Joint
town hall meetings can be held in one of the Members'
districts, in order to facilitate the exchange of information
regarding the Member's official and representational
duties.
2. Expenses
(excluding mail) may be divided to reflect an accurate
representation of each Member's expenses, and may be
directly vouchered through the Office of Finance with
supporting documentation (invitation, agenda, etc.)
for the meeting.
3. 39
U.S.C. § 2910 prohibits Members from sending any mass
mailings outside of the district from which elected.
Therefore, Franked mail expenses that relate to advertising
Joint Town Hall meetings must be separately accounted
for and charged to the MRA of the Member into whose
District the Franked mail was delivered.
See Advertisements
(25), Food and Beverage Expenses (17), and Interpreting
and Translation Services (18).
Radio
Town Hall Meetings
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to the purchase
of radio broadcasting time to hold an "electronic"
town hall meeting are reimbursable.
The radio
station broadcasting the town hall meeting must serve
the Member's district.
District
Office
Cable
Costs of cable television service in support of official
and representational duties in the district office(s)
are reimbursable.
See Deposits
(16).
Custodial
Services
Ordinary and necessary expenses for custodial services
for district office(s) are reimbursable.
See Contractors
(7).
Furniture
Furniture requests for district congressional offices
are processed through Office Systems Management and
charged to the MRA.
Offices
should submit written requests to Office Systems Management,
B-215 Longworth House Office Building prior to the purchase
of any Furniture for district offices.
Leases
Rental expenses related to district offices, except
for security deposits, are reimbursable. There is no
limit on the number and size of district offices a Member
may establish. No lease may extend beyond the Member's
elected term. Members must notify the Office of Finance
at x57474 in writing when a lease is terminated.
District
offices may be located in:
1. Federal
buildings commercial buildings
2. State,
county, or municipal buildings
3. Mobile
district offices
District
office space must be located within a Member's district
unless there is no suitable office space in a federal
building in the Member's district. In that event, a
district office may be located in a federal building
serving the Member's district.
Members
may not accept free office space from private entities.
Private office space must be leased at a fair market
value as the result of a bona fide, arms-length, marketplace
transaction.
All leases
must include a House lease attachment. Leases and lease
attachments must be submitted to the Office of Administrative
Counsel (x56969) for review and processing. The Committee
recommends that Members submit such leases for review
prior to being signed by the Member and lessor, because
the Member is personally liable for payments under any
lease not in compliance with House Rules and Committee
regulations.
The House
will authorize disbursement of funds under the terms
of the lease agreement only if the lease agreement complies
with the Rules of the House and the Regulations of the
Committee on House Administration. The House will not
authorize disbursement of funds to make payments under
the terms of the lease agreement until the Administrative
Counsel has reviewed the lease agreement and has signed
the Attachment. Similarly, the Administrative Counsel
must review any proposed substantive amendment and sign
the Attachment for the amendment before the House will
authorize any payment pursuant to such an amendment.
Any amendment to a lease agreement must be in writing.
The Committee
on Standards of Official Conduct has ruled that Members
may accept free office space, located in their district,
when such space is provided by a federal, state, or
local government agency.
Contact
the Administrative Counsel at x56969 for lease standards.
See Deposits
(16).
Mobile
District Offices
Mobile district offices must remain in the Member's
district unless they are being stored, receiving maintenance
and repair, or traveling between points in the district.
Parking
Parking should be negotiated as part of the district
office lease. However, if parking is unavailable or
insufficient through the district office lease, Members
may negotiate a separate parking space lease and submit
it to the Office of Administrative Counsel for review
and processing.
Contact
the Administrative Counsel at x56969 for lease standards.
Under
the tax code and IRS regulations, Members and their
staff have imputed taxable income to the extent that
the fair market value of Government-provided parking
exceeds $190.00/month (the value of the parking space
is subject to future adjustments). Government-provided
parking includes the combined value of parking spaces
in Washington, D.C., and the district.
Contact
Human Resources at x52450 to make appropriate tax withholdings.
Repairs
Ordinary and necessary expenses for minor office repairs
that are the responsibility of the tenant, or cosmetic
changes that are requested by the tenant and are not
covered in the lease are reimbursable. The expenses
of capital improvements to district offices are not
reimbursable.
Contact
the Office of Administrative Counsel at x56969 to determine
if a repair qualifies as a minor office repair or cosmetic
change.
Security
Ordinary and necessary expenses associated with security
measures in a Member's district office are reimbursable.
Sharing
Offices
A Member may share office space with Members of the
United States Senate from the Member's state or with
state and local officials, but all expenses (including
rent, utilities, etc.) and space must be kept and billed
separately. Members may not share district office space
with other Members of the House of Representatives.
Contact
Administrative Counsel at x56969 to submit such leases
for review, and the Office of Finance at x57474 to establish
billing arrangements.
Signs
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to purchasing
sign(s) to identify the location of a district office
are reimbursable Such signs may not include a picture
or likeness of the Member and must state that the premises
is a district congressional office. If a sign includes
more than a Member's name and district, the content
must comply with the Franking Regulations.
Storage
Storage should be negotiated as part of the district
office lease. However, if storage space is unavailable
or insufficient within the district office space, Members
may negotiate a separate storage space lease and submit
it to the Office of Administrative Counsel for review
and processing.
Contact
the Administrative Counsel at x56969 for lease standards.
Utilities
Utilities are reimbursable. They may be integral to
the lease and included in the monthly rent, or may be
vouchered separately, or processed through automatic
payment.
Contact
the Office of Finance at x57474 for information regarding
automatic payment of utilities.
Communications
Advertisements
Ordinary and necessary expenses related only to the
following types of advertisements are reimbursable:
1. Notice
of town hall meetings.
2. Personal
appearance of the Member at an official event, which
the Member sponsors and hosts in support of the conduct
of the Member's official and representational duties
to the district from which elected.
3. Notice
relating to the nomination process to the U.S. Military
Academies.
4. Notice
relating to the congressional art competition, "An
Artistic Discovery."
5. Notice
of employee and internship openings.
Advertisements
may not include a picture or likeness of the Member.
Advertisement
must receive an Advisory Opinion from the Franking Commission.
Advertisements
for town hall meeting may only contain the Member's
name, general title of subject matter addressed, germane
graphics, guests (if applicable), time, date, location
of the meeting (if applicable), and contact.
Contact
the Franking Commission at x59337.
There
are restrictions on mass communications within 90 days
of an election.
See Unsolicited
Mass Communication Restrictions (35), Audio and Video
Expenses (27), Town Hall Meetings (21), Employment-Related
Expenses (16), Newspaper Inserts (33), Television (26),
and Radio (26).
Disclosure
Members must disclose, within the text of a television,
radio and Internet advertisement, the source of payment
for the official advertisements. Members may use any
of the following:
1. "Paid
for with official funds from the office of [Member's
name]."
2. "Paid
for by the funds authorized by the House of Representatives
for the [district number] District of [name of state]."
3. "Paid
for by official funds authorized by the House of Representatives."
Internet
Members are authorized to purchase only advertisements
within the five authorized categories on web pages that
serve the Member's district. The advertisements may
contain only text, and may link to a secondary page
that contains only text relating to a category of authorized
advertisement, and the secondary page may contain a
link to the Member's home page.
Radio
Ordinary and necessary expenses only for a radio advertisement
within the five authorized categories are reimbursable.
The radio
station broadcasting the advertisement or meeting must
serve the Member's district.
Television
Ordinary and necessary expenses only for a television
advertisement within the five authorized categories
are reimbursable.
A television
advertisement may only contain text and voiceover. The
television station broadcasting the advertisement must
serve the Member's district.
Audio
and Video Expenses
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to audio and
video recording and materials, including but not limited
to the following, are reimbursable:
1. Production
of public service announcements for distribution to
the stations serving the Member's district.
2. Filming
related to the appearance of a Member or the Member's
employee at an official event.
3. Videotapes
and transcripts of commercial broadcasts related to
the Member or the Member's district for in-office use.
4. Videotapes
that are produced by the Member or videotapes that are
provided to a Member and authorized by the providing
entity to be reproduced for official distribution.
5. Video
teleconferencing services incurred in support of the
Member's official and representational duties.
Except
for town hall meeting announcements, the costs related
to purchasing television broadcast time are not reimbursable.
In Washington,
D.C., the House Recording Studio is available for audio
and video services. Contact the House Recording Studio
at x53941 for information on services, charges, and
availability.
There
are certain election-related restrictions on mass communications.
See Unsolicited
Mass Communication Restrictions (35).
Booths
Ordinary and necessary expenses associated with renting
or outfitting a booth to provide public information
directly related to the Member's official and representational
duties are reimbursable.
See Advance
Payments (42).
Distribution
of Publications
Private
Publications
A Member may distribute a purely informational and instructional
printed publication created by a private entity. If
the private document is to be distributed under the
Frank the document must comply with the Franking Regulations.
Contact
the Franking Commission at x59337.
Government
Publications
A Member may distribute government publications.
A report,
document, or publication distributed by a Member may
not contain a notice that it is sent with "the
compliments" of the Member. (44 U.S.C. §1106).
Electronic
Communications
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to electronic
communications (Internet, fax machines, etc.) are reimbursable.
All official electronic communication content must comply
with the Franking Regulations.
Subscribed
E-mail updates
A
subscribed e-mail update is an e-mail sent to individuals
who have subscribed to an e-mail list. Members
must notify individuals who subscribe to e-mail updates
that the individual is authorizing the Member to send
regular e-mail updates from the Member's office to the
individual's e-mail account. All e-mail updates
to subscribers must contain an option that enables the
individual to unsubscribe from the e-mail list.
Members may send subscribed e-mail updates without obtaining
an advisory opinion.
Non-subscribed
E-mail updates
If
each e-mail address used in a mass communication was
not obtained with consent for subscribed e-mail updates,
then the Member must receive a Franking Advisory prior
to the distribution of the mass communication.
Please
see Unsolicited Mass Communications Restrictions.
Franked
Mail
Postage expenses of Frankable mail are reimbursable
in accordance with the regulations contained in this
Members' Congressional Handbook.
Contents
of official mailings paid for through the MRA are subject
to the regulations of the Commission on Congressional
Mailing Standards (Franking Commission)(x59337).
Use
of the Frank
1. Pursuant to the provisions of 39 U.S.C. §3210, each
Member is entitled to the privilege of sending mail
as Franked mail in order to assist and expedite the
conduct of the official business, activities, and duties
of the Congress of the United States. For information
regarding the use of the Frank, refer to the Franking
Regulations (available from the Franking Commission
x59337).
2. Mail
to be delivered outside the United States, its territories
and possessions (other than mail matter bearing an APO
or FPO address for delivery through the United States
military mail system), is not eligible for distribution
under the Frank and may be sent with stamps. In applicable
circumstances the Member may also use the following:
a. For
official mail to U.S. Embassies and missions abroad,
the Department of State provides diplomatic pouch service.
For information regarding this service, contact House
Postal Operations at x53856.
b. House
documents (committee hearings, reports, and prints)
which are not available for purchase from the Government
Printing Office, and which are to be sent to foreign
countries, may be sent to the Library of Congress for
forwarding through the Exchange and Gifts Division.
For information regarding this program, contact the
Library of Congress, Exchange and Gifts Division at
x75243.
Accounting
for the use of the Frank in the Washington, D.C., Congressional
Office
1. The Office of Finance assigns a 5-digit billing account
number to each Member.
2. House
Postal Operations assigns a bar code to each Member.
The bar code must be printed on all letter-sized envelopes,
postcards, Kraft envelopes and labels procured in support
of the official and representational duties of the Member's
Washington, D.C., office.
3. Mail
collected by House Postal Operations for distribution
via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will be accounted
for by House Postal Operations' automated system. House
Postal Operations prepares a monthly statement of postal
charges for Franked mail they have processed and provides
a copy of this statement to the Office of Finance who
forwards it to the USPS. An informational copy is provided
directly to the Member.
4. Direct
District Office Pouch Service (DDOP) or orange bag is
available to expedite mail between the Washington, D.C.
and district congressional offices. The cost of DDOP
service is charged at the Priority Mail rate and is
accounted for by House Postal Operations.
5. The
Open and Distribute service is available to expedite
the delivery of first class mail between the Washington,
D.C. office and district addresses. Each piece of mail
sent via the Open and Distribute service is charged
at the First Class Mail rate and is accounted for by
House Postal Operations.
6. Non-permit
mail processed by House Postal Operations for distribution
via the USPS, (small packages, oversized envelopes,
flags, etc.), will be accounted for by House Postal
Operations. House Postal Operations prepares a monthly
statement of postal charges for Franked mail they have
processed and forwards it to the USPS. An informational
copy is provided directly to the Member.
For information
regarding the use of these services contact House Postal
Operations at x53856.
Bulk
Standard Mailings in the Washington, D.C., Congressional
Office
1. A bulk Standard Mailing (formerly third-class mail)
is defined by the USPS as a mailing consisting of at
least 200 pieces or weighing 50 or more pounds.
2. If
bulk Standard Mailings are to be distributed directly
by the Washington, D.C. office via the USPS, the Member
must apply to use the G300 House mail permit number.
3. A
bulk mailing distributed directly by the Washington,
D.C., office via the USPS must be deposited at a U.S.
Bulk Mail Acceptance Center and must be accompanied
by a completed Statement of Mailing form (PS 3602R or
PS 3605R Priority Drop Shipment) a copy of which should
be retained by the Member's office.
4. Bulk
mail processed by mail houses for distribution via the
USPS will be accounted for on a Statement of Mailing
form.
5. The
mail houses will notify USPS of the charges incurred.
Members should request that the mail houses provide
an informational copy of these charges on PS 3602R forms
directly to the Member. This will help in the completion
of the quarterly mass mailing report Members submit
to the Finance Office.
Mass
Mailings
A mass mailing is any unsolicited mailing of substantially
identical content to more than 500 persons in a session
of Congress.
Members
may not send mass mailings outside of the district from
which elected. (39 U.S.C. § 3210)
All mass
mailings must receive an advisory opinion from the Commission
on Congressional Mailing Standards (Franking Commission)
prior to mailing.
Any printed
material sent out as a mass mailing without a Franking
Advisory Opinion is reimbursable only if the Franking
Commission subsequently deems the mailing Frankable.
Federal
law requires each mass mailing sent by a Member of Congress
to display the following disclaimer:
"This
mailing was prepared, published, and mailed at taxpayer
expense."
The notice
must appear prominently on the front page of a letter,
on the front of the envelope or near the mailing panel,
or on the first page of a self-mailer. It must appear
horizontally and set apart from other text by lines
of spacing and printed in type size not smaller than
7 point.
Member
offices are required to submit a completed quarterly
Mass Mail Reporting Form to the Office of Finance within
2 weeks after the closing of the reporting period. If
the office did not send mass mail in that period, the
form must still be submitted.
Mailing
costs are disclosed in the quarterly Statement of Disbursements
for the House. (2 U.S.C. §59h).
Contact
the Franking Commission at x59337.
See Use
of the Frank (28).
District
Office(s) Monthly Reporting
Each Member must provide a monthly accounting of Franked
mail costs sent out of each of their district offices.
Certification
of Franked Mail
1. If a Member does not choose to use a postage meter
to account for district office mail, the Member must
account for Franked mail directly deposited to the USPS
on the Member District Office Certification of Franked
Mail form.
2. The
Member District Office Certification of Franked Mail
form must be completed by each district office on a
monthly basis and received by the Office of Postal Operations
for processing by the second business day following
the end of the month. The submitted form must have the
Member's original signature certifying its accuracy.
The Office of Postal Operations will forward this information
to the USPS.
3. If
the Member District Office Certification of Franked
Mail is 30 days delinquent the CAO will notify the Member.
30 days after notification of delinquency the Franked
mail usage for the unreported month will be estimated
and deducted from the MRA.
Member
District Office Certification of Franked Mail forms
are available from Postal Operations, x53856.
Postage
Meters
1. As an alternative to the Member District Office Certification
of Franked Mail form, Members may account for their
Franked mail via a postage meter.
2. Members
must contact Office Systems Management at x53994 prior
to procuring a postage meter.
3. At
the end of each month, the postage meter vendor will
forward a statement of the applicable postage charges
for the month directly to the USPS and will provide
an informational copy of this statement to the Member's
Washington, D.C. Congressional office.
Bulk
Standard Mailings in the District Office
1. A bulk Standard Mailing (formerly third-class mail)
is defined by the USPS as a mailing consisting of at
least 200 pieces or weighing 50 or more pounds.
2. A
bulk standard mailing distributed directly by the district
office via the USPS must be deposited at a U.S. Bulk
Mail Acceptance Center and must be accompanied by a
completed Statement of Mailing form (PS 3602R or PS
3605R Priority Drop Shipment) a copy of which should
be retained by the Member's office.
3. Bulk
standard mail processed by mail houses for distribution
via the USPS will be accounted for on a Statement of
Mailing form.
4. The
mail houses will notify USPS of the charges incurred.
Members should request that the mail houses provide
an informational copy of these charges on PS 3602R forms
directly to the Member. This will help in the completion
of the quarterly mass mailing report Members submit
to the Finance Office.
See Mail
Preparation (32).
USPS
Franked Mail Monthly Statement
1. The Office of Finance completes a monthly summary
of postage charges of Franked mail not otherwise reported
on a PS 3605R or PS 3602R, and will forward this summary
to the USPS by the seventh working day following the
end of the month.
2. Each
month the USPS will prepare a USPS Franked Mail Monthly
Statement listing the postage expenses of all Franked
mail incurred in that month. The USPS will forward this
statement directly to the Office of Finance for payment
from the MRA and will provide an informational copy
to the Member's Washington, D.C., congressional office.
3. Members
should immediately reconcile this USPS statement with
their copies of bills. If any discrepancies exist, please
contact the Finance Office.
USPS
Notice of Balance
On a monthly basis, the USPS will send the Member and
Postal Operations a notice of the amount used for official
mail.
The Postmaster
general may not deliver official mail the cost of which
is in excess of the authorized MRA.
Mail
Preparation
Ordinary and necessary expenses associated with the
printing and preparation of Member correspondence are
reimbursable. Franking expenses associated with all
mailings will be deducted from the MRA.
See Bulk
Mailings (29 & 31).
Mailing
Lists
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to the procurement
and production of mailing lists may be reimbursed under
the following circumstances: the list contains information
about individuals within the Member's district; the
list was procured or compiled as a result of a bona
fide arms length marketplace transaction; and the list
does not contain any campaign, campaign related, or
political party information.
Members
may not purchase or acquire mailing lists from their
campaign offices unless the lists are available on the
same terms to other entities through an arms length
marketplace transaction. Official mailing lists may
not be shared with a Member's campaign committee, any
other campaign entity, or otherwise be used for campaign
purposes.
39 U.S.C.
§ 2910 prohibits Members from sending any mass mailings
outside of the district from which elected. Refer to
the Franking Regulations.
Inside
Mail
1. Inside Mail is a delivery service for the transmittal
of inter-office communications provided by House Postal
Operations, pursuant to the regulations established
by the Committee on House Administration. Inside mail
service is available among offices in the Capitol, the
House and Senate Office Buildings, the Library of Congress,
the White House, the State Department, and the Social
Security Administration.
2. Inside
mail is provided to support the conduct of the official
business of Members, committees, Officers of the House,
and Congressional Staff Organizations.
3. Inside
mail service may not be used to circulate letters which
are personal or campaign-related, or which constitute
commercial advertising except when postage is paid for
with personal expenses.
4. All
mail to be delivered via inside mail should be clearly
marked Inside Mail and should be deposited in an Inside
Mailbox.
5. Authorized
items for circulation of inside mail include:
a. A
Dear Colleague or similar correspondence relating to
the official and representational business of the Member.
This correspondence must be on official letterhead and
signed by the Member.
b. A
position paper, report, legislative analysis, or any
material published or produced by another individual
or organization that a Member wishes to circulate. This
correspondence must be accompanied by a signed cover
letter, on official letterhead. A copy of the cover
letter must be attached to each item to be distributed.
c. Franked
mail.
d. Stamped
mail.
e. Mail
for which a delivery fee has been paid.
f. Mail
in a reusable blue U.S. House of Representatives Inside
Mail envelope.
g. Mail
produced by Congressional Staff Organizations registered
with the Committee on House Administration.
Dear
Colleague letters and similar correspondence must be
transmitted to House Postal Operations, in the appropriate
quantity, with a cover letter signed by the Member,
indicating to whom the mailing should be distributed.
For information regarding these procedures, contact
House Postal Operations at x53856.
Newspaper
Inserts
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to the production
and distribution of newspaper inserts are reimbursable.
The content must be in compliance with the Franking
Regulations.
There
are certain election-related restrictions on mass communications.
See Unsolicited
Mass Communication Restrictions (35).
Postal
Expenses
Postal expenses incurred only when the Frank is insufficient,
such as certified, registered, insured, express, foreign
mail, and stamped, self-addressed envelopes related
to the recovery of official items, are reimbursable.
Postage may not to be used in lieu of the Frank. All
mailings initiated by a Member must be in compliance
with the Franking Regulations.
Members
must return unused postage stamps to the Office of Postal
Operations at the end of a Member's service in the House.
Contact
the Committee on House Administration at x58281.
Printing
and Production
Printed materials produced by the Member are reimbursable
when they are in compliance with the Franking Regulations.
Reimbursable printing and production expenses include,
but are not limited to:
1. Newsletters,
postal patron mailings, mass mailings, notices of town
hall meetings or notices of personal appearance of the
Member at an official event
2. Administrative
papers (casework tracking forms, personnel record forms,
etc.)
3. Legislative
papers (bills, drafts, summaries, amendments, etc.)
4. Business
cards for Members and their employees
5. Stuffing,
sealing, and associated expenses relating to printing
and sending official mail
If printed
materials are to be sent under the Frank, a written
advisory may be required.
See Use
of the Frank (28) and Unsolicited Mass Communication
Restrictions (35).
Stationery
Ordinary and necessary expenses associated with the
printing and production of official stationery are reimbursable.
Official stationery may be procured from the Government
Printing Office (44 U.S.C. §734).
Contact
the Congressional Printing Management Division at 202-512-0224
and the Office of Publication Services at x51908 for
stationery requests.
Additional
stationery requests (writing paper, bond, etc.) are
reimbursable.
Samples
of such stationery are available from the Office of
Publication Services.
Appearance
Official stationery must contain the following information:
1. Member's
name
2. Member's
district and state
3. Congress
of the United States, House of Representatives, or comparable
language
Official
stationery may not contain the following information:
1. Seals
other than the Great Seal, Congressional Seal, or State
Seal
2. Member's political party identification
3. Slogans
4. Private entity information or endorsement
5. Campaign contact information (e.g. address, phone
number, e-mail address)
6. Greetings
Use
Official stationery may be used only for a letter or
other document the content of which complies with the
Franking Regulations. Contact the Franking Commission
at x59337 for information on content of official correspondence.
Contact
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct at x57103
for information on the use of official stationery.
Business
Cards
Ordinary and necessary expenses for business cards for
Members and employees are reimbursable. The content
of business cards must comply with the Franking Regulations.
Business cards must contain the name of the employing
authority and accurately describe the position to which
the employee has been appointed.
Business
cards may be obtained through Office Supply Service
x53321.
Unsolicited
Mass Communication Restrictions
Unsolicited mass communication is defined consistent
with Franking Regulations as any unsolicited communication
of substantially identical content to 500 or more persons
in a session of Congress.
Except
where noted, unsolicited mass communications, regardless
of the means of transmittal, must receive an Advisory
opinion from the Franking Commission, prior to dissemination.
Advisory Opinions may be obtained from the Franking
Commission at x59337.
Expenditures
from the MRA for unsolicited mass communications, regardless
of the means of transmittal, are prohibited if such
communication occurs fewer than 90 days immediately
before the date of any primary or general election (whether
regular, special, or runoff) in which the Member's name
will appear on an official ballot for election or re-election
to public office.
Examples
of unsolicited mass communications are:
1. Radio,
TV, internet, or newspaper advertisements of town hall
meetings or of a personal appearance of the Member and/or
the Member's employees at an official event
2. Mass
mailings
3. Newspaper
inserts
4. Mass
automated phone calls
5. Mass
Facsimiles
6. Posters,
flyers, leaflets, handouts, etc., that are distributed
as mass communications
7. Radio
programs aired on broadcast time purchased with official
funds
8. Video
or audio communication for which official funds are
expended for production and distribution
9. Mass
e-mail communications distributed to a non-subscribed
e-mailing list
This
restriction does not apply to the following:
1. Direct
responses to communications (solicited communications)
2. Communications
to Members of Congress and other government officials
3. News
releases, press releases, or media releases
(written or recorded communications from Members, directed
at the
news
media), in any format. Note that expenses
for production and transmittal are reimbursable; expenses
for satellite downlink and broadcast are not reimbursable.
4. Web
sites (including a Member's official web site) and other
electronic bulletin boards on which information is posted
for voluntary public access
5. Advertisements
for employee position and internship openings, U.S.
Military Academy Days, and An Artistic Discovery
6. Member's
participation in a media hosted interview or program
7. Previously
recorded programs and public service announcements aired
at the discretion of a media outlet, when no expenses
are incurred by the Member
8. Purchases
of research materials, including videotapes, audiotapes,
and other electronic media
9. Video
teleconferencing services
10. Mass
e-mail communications distributed to a subscribed e-mailing
list
Please
see Electronic Communications.
Web
Sites
World Wide Web sites paid for with official funds (Web
sites) are a series of centrally maintained Web pages,
accessible to the public via the Internet and stored
on a specific host. The home page is the first accessible
page for that site.
1. Ordinary
and necessary expenses associated with the creation
and continued operation of Web sites, in support of
the Member's official and representational duties, are
reimbursable.
2. Member's
Web sites must be located in the HOUSE.GOV host-domain
and may be maintained by either House Information Resources
(HIR), the Member's congressional office, or a private
vendor.
3. Member's
Web sites may link to Committee Web sites, but Committee
Web sites may not be located on Web sites paid for by
the MRA.
4. Congressional
Member Organizations (CMOs) may not create or operate
independent Web sites. Members may include information
within their Web site about CMO issues and activities.
All CMO references within a Web site must relate to
the Member's official and representational duties.
5. HIR
will display an exit notice stating that users are leaving
the House of Representatives prior to linking to a non-House
of Representatives Web site. The exit notice will include
a disclaimer that neither Members nor the House are
responsible for the content of linked sites. Member
offices maintaining their sites on the Public web server
are required to incorporate the exit notice into their
external links.
6. Web
sites should be ADA compliant.
See Contractors
(7).
Content
The content of a Member's Web site:
1. May
not include personal, political, or campaign information.
2. May
not be directly linked or refer to Web sites created
or operated by a campaign or any campaign related entity
including political parties and campaign committees.
3. May
not include grassroots lobbying or solicit support for
a Member's position.
4. May
not generate, circulate, solicit, or encourage signing
petitions.
5. May
not include any advertisement for any private individual,
firm, or corporation, or imply in any manner that the
government endorses or favors any specific commercial
product, commodity, or service.
Name
(URL)
The URL name for an official Web site located in the
HOUSE.GOV domain must be recognizably derivative or
representative of the name of the Member or the name
of the office sponsoring the Web site.
The URL
name for an official Web site located in the HOUSE.GOV
domain may not:
1. Be
a slogan.
2. Imply
in any manner that the House endorses or favors any
specific commercial product, commodity, or service.
Security
All House systems and devices with connections to the
Internet must comply with network and security guidelines
of the Committee on House Administration. These guidelines
include the following:
1. Offices
must send a written request for access to Internet services
to HIR. Technical requirements will be provided to each
office by HIR.
2. All
users authorized to access the Internet must have unique
identifiers and password security.
3. Users
must immediately report any unauthorized access or unusual
system activities to HIR Security Office (x66448). HIR
will investigate any breaches of the Internet security
system.
4. Internet
access will be installed only after determination by
HIR that anti-virus software has been installed on the
Member's computer system.
Users
with current anti-virus software provided by the House
and installed on in-office computers may download software,
patches, and fixes. Users are responsible for complying
with any legal or contractual requirements from the
owners of the software that is downloaded. Users should
upgrade the anti-virus software as directed by HIR.
Equipment
For all questions relating to equipment and equipment-related
issues, refer to the User's Guide to Purchasing Equipment,
Software, and Related Services, available from the Committee
on House Administration.
Routine
administrative requests (equipment, computer services,
etc.) should be directed to the appropriate administrative
offices under the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
For further information relating to any of the CAO's
services, please refer to the CAO's Web site on the
Intranet (http://onlinecao.house.gov//) or call First
Call/One Call at x58000.
Travel
General
Travel by Members, Members' employees, and vendors in
support of the official and representational duties
of that Member to the district from which elected is
official travel.
Ordinary
and necessary expenses associated with official travel
are reimbursable.
Official
travel includes local travel and travel away from home
overnight to conduct official and representational duties,
when returning to the duty station or residence is impractical.
Living
expenses and commuting expenses are not reimbursable.
Living expenses include meals, housing, and other personal
expenses incurred at the Member or employee's residence
or duty station. Commuting expenses are transportation
expenses incurred by the Member or employees between
their residence and duty station.
Official
travel, paid for with the MRA, may not be for personal,
political, campaign, or committee purposes.
Official
travel cannot originate from or terminate at a campaign
event. Official travel may not be combined with or related
to travel or travel-related expenses paid for with campaign
funds.
Official
travel may not exceed 60 consecutive days.
Members
have two duty stations: their Congressional District
and Washington, D.C.
Vendor
Official Travel
Official travel also includes travel by a vendor when
traveling to provide service or training to Member offices.
A vendor
is an employee of a private company that provides maintenance
and support for equipment and software (computer and
non-computer) under a valid House contract or working
on a time and material basis.
All travel
costs must be negotiated and agreed upon in writing
by both parties prior to vendor travel. Offices are
encouraged to utilize the federal government per diem
rates established by the General Services Administration
for vendor travel costs as a benchmark. For a listing
of the per diem rates by state and locality, see
http://policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/travel.shtml
Unexpected
Official Travel
Official travel includes travel to an official point
from a location visited on personal travel, if the travel
to the official point is necessitated by an unexpected
official and representational duty (e.g. previously
unscheduled House vote, natural disaster, or civil disorder).
In such cases, return travel to the point of personal
destination is considered official and reimbursable.
Combined
Travel
Combined travel is travel by a Member or their employees
for the primary purpose of supporting the official and
representational duties of the member, but includes
an intervening destination or an additional time period
that is included for personal purposes.
Combined
travel requires that:
1. The
primary purpose of the travel must be official and representational.
The personal segment of the combined travel may not
be purchased at a government rate or be purchased with
a Government Travel Card.
2. The
traveler seeks reimbursement for either the government
rate of the direct route and means to the destination
required for official and representational business,
or the actually traveled fare, whichever is less.
3. The
traveler personally pays any additional expenses incurred
as a result of the personal travel.
4. The
traveler attaches a brief memo to the voucher submitted
for combined travel reimbursement, stating that the
official travel and personal travel was combined for
personal convenience.
Official
Travel Expenses
Official travel expenses including transportation, lodging,
meals (excluding alcohol), fees (parking, tolls, ticket
change fees, etc.), and other ordinary and necessary
incidental expenses while on official travel status
are reimbursable.
Shared
Official Travel Expenses
Official travel expenses may be shared by more than
one Member or Committee office. The division of expenses
must accurately reflect each traveler's expenses, and
offices may only pay for the expenses of the Member,
staff, and authorized vendors.
See Government
Travel Card (43). See Town Hall meetings (22).
Chartered
Aircraft
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to chartering
an aircraft for official travel are reimbursable when:
1. Passengers
are restricted to Members, their employees, and their
immediate family members (spouse, child, parent), the
names of whom must be stated on the voucher.
2. If
an immediate family member uses a chartered aircraft
the Member may seek reimbursement for the full cost
of the chartered aircraft and the family member must
submit a check to the Office of Finance payable to the
U.S. Treasury equivalent to the cost of a comparable
commercial first class fare. A letter explaining the
reason for its submission must accompany the check.
See Disbursements
(42).
Corporate
or Private Aircraft
A Member and/or their employees who travel via corporate,
business, or privately owned aircraft in support of
the conduct of official and representational duties
must reimburse the entity providing the flight, for
the fair market value of the flight. To determine the
fair market value of such a flight, apply the following:
1. When
the travel is via a previously or regularly scheduled
flight by the corporation, business, or individual,
the entity must be reimbursed based on the cost of a
commercial first class flight to the nearest location
served by a commercial passenger airline. If only coach
rates are provided at the nearest location, the Member
must reimburse the cost of a commercial coach rate.
2. When
the flight is scheduled specifically for Member use,
payment will be made based on the cost of an equivalent
commercial chartered flight to that location.
Prior
to scheduling travel provided by any corporation, business,
or individual, a Member or employee must verify that
the person has authority under its FAA certification
to accept payment for travel as set forth above. Contact
the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct at x57103.
See Privately-Owned
Vehicles (42).
Government
Rate Eligibility
Government rates are available to Members and employees
to support the conduct of official travel.
To be
eligible for Government rates when purchasing tickets
for official travel, Members and employees may present:
1. The
Government Travel Card.
2. An
Official Travel Authorization (OTA) coupon available
from the Finance Office. (Some airlines only allow the
government rate for tickets purchased with the government
travel card.)
Contact
the General Services Administration (GSA) to obtain
a listing of schedules and fares of the federal contract
air, rail, and bus carriers, car rental companies, and
hotels/motels.
Officially
Leased Vehicles
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to the lease
of a vehicle in support of the conduct of official and
representational duties are reimbursable.
Non-governmental
use of such a vehicle may be made only when such use
is:
1. During
the course of and generally along the route of a day's
official itinerary.
2. Incidental
to the day's official and representational business.
3. De
minimis in nature, frequency, and time consumed.
4. Does
not otherwise constitute a significant activity or event.
Short-Term
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to short-term
vehicle rental are reimbursable. Rental may not exceed
60 consecutive days.
The government
discount rates offered by some rental car companies
include:
1. Unlimited
free mileage.
2. Collision
damage waiver (CDW) at no additional cost.
Cars
rented at the government rate should include the CDW.
Not all rental car franchises offer the government rate
with CDW included. To ensure CDW coverage, offices can
make their rental car reservations through the Combined
Airlines Ticket Office (CATO). CATO is located at B-222
Longworth Building.
If an
office does not use CATO then the Committee recommends
the following:
1. At
time of the reservation, indicate that the rental is
for official government use at the government rate with
CDW included.
2. At
the time of rental, use the Government Travel Card (or
present official travel authorizations (OTA) to the
rental company) and confirm that the car is being rented
at a government rate with CDW included. The employee
must verify that collision damage waiver is included,
as simply receiving the government rate does not automatically
ensure inclusion of this insurance.
Offices
may obtain an Official Travel Authorization coupon from
the Finance Office.
If the
government rate is unavailable the cost of CDW is reimbursable.
Personal
accident insurance (PAI), personal effects coverage
(PEC), and equivalent insurance policies are not reimbursable.
If an
employee on official and representational business is
involved in an accident with a rental car, notify the
Office of General Counsel at x59700.
Long-Term
Ordinary and necessary expenses related to a long-term
rental or lease of a vehicle by a Member in the Member's
District are reimbursable.
1. A
Member has two leasing options:
a. A
Member may lease a vehicle for a period that does not
exceed the Member's congressional term.
b. The
Member may lease a vehicle for a period that exceeds
the current Congressional term, but must submit a signed
letter that acknowledges personal responsibility to
fulfill any outstanding obligation stemming from such
a lease in the event the Member's service to the House
ends prior to the lease agreement. Such letters should
be attached to the negotiated lease and submitted to
the Office of Administrative Counsel (102 Ford Building).
2. The
Committee recommends that Members submit leases to the
Administrative Counsel for review prior to being signed
by the Member and lessor, since the Member is personally
liable for payments under any lease not in compliance
with House Rules and Committee regulations.
3. Termination
notices should be forwarded to the Administrative Counsel.
4. Leases
may not include a purchase option.
5. Lessor-required
insurance may be reimbursed. Security deposits are not
reimbursable.
6. The
Committee recommends that long-term vehicle leases begin
on the first day of the month.
7. Monthly
payments for a long-term vehicle lease may be made in
advance.
The House
will authorize disbursement of funds under the terms
of the lease agreement only if the lease agreement complies
with the Rules of the House and the Regulations of the
Committee on House Administration. The House will not
authorize disbursement of funds to make payments under
the terms of the lease agreement until the Administrative
Counsel has reviewed the lease and has signed the Attachment.
Expenses
Expenses related to leased vehicles (both short-term
and long-term) including but not limited to the following
are reimbursable:
1. The
actual monthly cost of the lease (not applicable to
short-term)
2. The
cost of insurance incurred pursuant to the terms of
the lease (not applicable to short-term)
3. Excess
mileage charges incurred pursuant to the terms of the
lease
4. Incidental
operating expenses (gasoline, oil, general maintenance,
etc.)
5. Wear
and tear (not applicable to short-term)
6. Registration
fees (not applicable to short-term)
7. Property
tax during the term of the lease (not applicable to
short-term)
Security
deposits, termination fees, traffic violations, depreciation
loss based on premature return, and similar fees, penalties
or charges may not be reimbursed.
See Advance
Payments (42).
Privately-Owned
Vehicles
The costs of transportation by Member or employee via
a privately owned or privately leased vehicle while
on official and representational business reimbursable
on a rate per mile basis. The maximum rates per mile
are:
Automobile: $.445
Motorcycle: $.305
Airplane: $1.07
For the
current applicable rates, contact the Committee on House
Administration at x58281.
Only mileage
for use of an aircraft that is privately owned by either
a Member or the Member's employee is reimbursable.
See Disbursements
(42) and Corporate or Private Aircraft (39).
Travel
Promotional Awards
Free travel, mileage, discounts, upgrades, coupons,
etc., awarded at the sole discretion of a company as
a promotional award may be used at the discretion of
the Member or the Member's employee. The Committee encourages
the official use of these travel promotional awards
wherever practicable.
Disbursements
Advance
Payments
There are instances in which advance payments may be
required and may be paid from the MRA. Unless specifically
authorized by the Committee, only the following advance
payments are reimbursable:
1. Public
information booth rental
2. Educational
expenses
3. Authorized
insurance premiums
4. Newspaper
and periodical subscriptions
5. Telecommunications
devices
6. Post-office
box rentals
7. Original
Equipment Manufacturers' warranties
8. Monthly
payments of a long-term automobile lease
Authorized
Methods of Payment
Official travel-related expenses may be paid with cash,
check, personal credit card, etc., or the Government
Travel Card for Members and employees and reimbursed
through the Finance Office.
See Government
Travel Card (43), Dues (16), and Disbursements (3).
Reimbursement
and Direct Payment
Disbursements from the MRA are paid on a reimbursable
basis or by direct payment (to vendors) and require:
1. The
Member's signature, certifying that the expense was
incurred in support of the Member's official and representational
duties to the district from which elected.
2. Supporting
documentation (receipt, lease, bill etc.).
Government
Travel Card
The Government Travel Card is available for Member and
employee use for official travel and travel-related
expenses. Such travel expenses incurred on this or any
other credit/charge card, are directly reimbursable
to the traveler or to the cardholder with a copy of
the credit card statement, an accompanying voucher,
and applicable receipts. When reimbursement is to be
made to the cardholder for expenses incurred by someone
other than the cardholder, the description of services
stated on the voucher must clearly identify the traveler
and the expense incurred.
Members
and employees are reminded that the Government Travel
Card is for official travel purposes only. Use of this
card for any personal or non-official purchases is prohibited.
The Government Travel Card may be used by the cardholder
only. The cardholder may use the card to purchase travel-related
services (airline tickets, hotel expenses, etc.) for
other authorized travelers.
The Office
of Finance will monitor the monthly aging report received
from the vendor and alert offices of delinquencies.
The Office of Finance will not intervene with the vendor
in the event of a delinquency.
Seeking
Reimbursement: Vouchers
Requests for reimbursement or payment from the MRA must
be submitted on a completed voucher to the Finance Office.
Each
voucher must include the following:
1. Member's
original signature
2. Dates
of service(s) provided, or date of purchase
3. Detailed
description of the expenses incurred
4. Payee
(the party to whom the payment or reimbursement is being
made). For payment to individuals, the payee's tax identification
number or Social Security number must be included on
the voucher. The payee may be one of the following:
a. Member
b. Member's
employee
c. Designated
vendor (this includes credit and charge card companies)
5. Supporting
documentation (original invoices, original receipts,
etc.)
6. Amount
due
Member
offices must provide the Office of Finance with original
receipts, unless original receipts are unavailable.
In such cases, Members may submit the voucher with the
available documentation (e.g., copy of original credit
card statement) and a signed certification stating:
"I certify that this is a true copy. This is my only
submission for payment."
In instances
where original receipts are not provided (bus fares,
pay phone calls, etc.) or for taxi fares under $10.00
the information on the voucher is sufficient.
When
submitting reimbursement for travel expenses, the voucher
must also indicate the name of the traveler for whom
the expenses were incurred.
The Committee
strongly recommends that Member offices submit their
vouchers for travel reimbursements at least fifteen
days before the payment due date to assist the Office
of Finance in providing timely reimbursements and prevent
Members from incurring late fees or delinquency problems.
See Custodial
Services (23), Educational Expenses (16), and Interpreting
and Translating Services (18).
Expired
Appropriations
The Salaries and Expenses appropriation for the House
of Representatives, which includes MRA funds, is withdrawn
on September 30 two years after the year for which the
funds were originally appropriated.
If an
office requests reimbursement for an official and representational
expense incurred during a year for which the appropriation
has been withdrawn, the Office of Finance will determine
if an amount sufficient to pay the expense would have
been available if the appropriation had not been withdrawn.
If no funds would have been available, then the expense
is the personal liability of the Member.
If the
expense would have been payable had it been timely submitted,
notwithstanding the expired appropriation, then the
expense may be paid from a currently available allowance.
Congressional
Member Organizations
General
Members of Congress may form a Congressional Member
Organization (CMO) in order to pursue common legislative
objectives.
Registration
Each Congress, CMOs must register with the Committee
on House Administration.
CMOs
must provide the following information:
1. Name
2. Statement
of Purpose
3. Officers
of the CMO
4. Employee
designated to work on issues related to the CMO
Membership
Members of both the House and Senate may participate
in CMO, but at least one of the Officers of the CMO
must be a Member of the House. The participation of
Senators in a CMO does not impact the scope of authorized
CMO activities in any regard.
Funding
and Resources
CMOs have no separate corporate or legal identity. A
CMO is not an employing authority. The MRA may not directly
support a CMO as an independent entity. A CMO may not
be assigned separate office space.
Neither
CMOs nor individual Members may accept goods, funds,
or services from private organizations or individuals
to support the CMO. Members may use personal funds to
support the CMO.
A Member
of a CMO, in support of the objectives of that CMO,
may utilize employees (including shared employees) and
official resources under the control of the Member to
assist the CMO in carrying out its legislative objectives,
but no employees may be appointed in the name of a CMO.
Communications
CMOs may not use the Frank, nor may a Member lend his
or her Frank to a CMO.
A Member
may use official resources for communications related
to the purpose of a CMO. Any such communications must
comply with the Franking Regulations.
Members
may devote a section of their official Web site to CMO
issues, but CMOs may not have independent Web pages.
A Member
may use inside mail to communicate information related
to a CMO.
Members
may prepare material related to CMO issues for dissemination.
Official
funds may not be used to print or pay for stationery
for the CMO.
Members
may refer to their membership in a CMO on their official
stationery.
Congressional
Staff Organizations
General
A Congressional Staff Organization (CSO) is an organization,
a majority of whose members are House employees, that
exists for the purpose of facilitating interaction among
congressional staff.
Each
Congress, CSOs must register with the Committee on House
Administration.
At least
one officer of a CSO must be an employee of the House,
and all officers must be employees of the House or Senate.
A CSO
should contact the Committee on Standards of Official
Conduct at x57103 before accepting anything of monetary
value from a private source.
Official Resources
Other than as specified in this section, House staff
that participates in a CSO may make only incidental
use of official resources for activities related to
a CSO. A CSO is not an employing authority of the House
and may not be assigned separate office space.
Each
Congress, in order to use official resources of the
House (i.e., inside mail, House Intranet, etc.), a CSO
must register with the Committee on House Administration.
A sponsoring Member must submit a letter, on official
letterhead, to the Committee with the following information:
1. Name
of the staff organization
2. Statement
of purpose of the staff organization
3. Officers
of the staff organization, including contact information
4. Specify
which of the following resources the CSO requests use
of:
a. Inside
mail
b. House
Intranet site
c. Postbox
at House Postal Operations
5. Individuals
designated to maintain web and mail services on behalf
of the CSO (if applicable)
After
the CSO is registered, the sponsoring Member may submit,
at any time, a letter requesting access to Inside Mail,
a House postbox, or a presence on the House Intranet
for CSO related activities.
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