Please refer to the Members' Congressional Handbook, Committees Congressional Handbook and the Regulations on Use of the Congressional Frank, for more information or further clarification of below (link to these books in Reports page). You may also contact your Financial Counselor for assistance.
While the expenses of Official Mail are charged to a Member's Representational Allowance (MRA), the Member's Mail account is maintained by the United
States Postal Service (USPS). At the beginning of a year, the House advises the USPS of the Official Mail Allowance of each Member and Committee. The
charges to the allowance come from several sources.
Mail from the Washington Office
Mail collected by House Postal Operations for distribution by the USPS will be accounted for by House Postal Operations. They provide a monthly statement of
postal charges to all offices. The monthly total is also provided to the Office of Finance, to be forwarded to the USPS.
Mail from District Offices (Other than Mass Mailings)
Each district office is responsible for accounting for their postage costs of official mail. There are two ways this may be accomplished.
District Office Certification of Franked Mail
Postage costs may be tracked manually and reported on the Member District Office Certification of Franked Mail. This form can be obtained from the
Office of Finance. It must be signed by the Member and submitted to Finance. It must be received for processing by the second working day of the following
month. Finance reviews these reports and forwards the information to the USPS.
Postage Meter
Members may contact Office Systems Management (OSM) 225-3994 to arrange for postage meters in district offices. At the end of every month, the
vendor providing the meter will forward a statement of charges to the Member and the USPS.
Bulk Mailings
Bulk mailings distributed by the USPS must be accounted for and accompanied by a Statement of Mailing Form, either the Statement of Mailing with Permit Imprints, Third Class Mail (Regular Rates Only), or Statement of Mailing with Permit Imprints, First Class Mail, For Priority Mail. Once your form is received at the Post Office and completed by the appropriate vendor, the vendor will forward a copy of the form to the Member. Copies of the completed forms received from the vendor, should be retained by the Member. If you do not receive a completed permit mail form, you must call the vendor to obtain a copy.
Flag Credits
Members may be reimbursed for the costs of U.S. flags flown over the Capitol that they have provided. The reimbursement may also cover the cost of the franking
of the flag. Questions regarding this should be directed to Office Supply Service (OSS). Reimbursement checks are deposited to the Member's stationery account
at OSS. At the close of every month, OSS reports these credits to the Finance Office for forwarding to the USPS.
Transfers
Each Member's expenditures for Franked mail may not exceed the total amount allocated by the Committee on House Oversight for official mail expenses, plus an
additional $25,000, transferable with in the MRA at the Member's discretion according to the procedures under the previous allowance structure.
USPS Franked Mail Monthly Statement
Each month the USPS provides Members the Franked Mail Monthly Statement listing the postage expenses of all franked mail incurred in the prior month. This information is also provided to the Office of Finance. Finance charges these expenses to the Official Mail allotment of the MRA and makes payment to the USPS.