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MARKUP OF COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 115–20 

MARKUP 

BEFORE THE 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE 

ADMINISTRATION 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

JULY 25, 2018 

Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration 

( 

Available on the Internet: 

http://www.govinfo.gov/committee/house-administration 

(II) 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION

GREGG HARPER, Mississippi, Chairman 

RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois, Vice Chairman 

BARBARA COMSTOCK, Virginia 

MARK WALKER, North Carolina 

ADRIAN SMITH, Nebraska 

BARRY LOUDERMILK, Georgia 

ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania, 

Ranking Member 

ZOE LOFGREN, California 

JAMIE RASKIN, Maryland 

(1) 

MARKUP OF COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 115–20 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, 

Washington, DC. 

The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 11:24 a.m., in Room 

1310, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Gregg Harper [Chairman of the Committee] presiding. 

Present: Representatives Harper, Comstock, Walker, Smith, 

Loudermilk, Brady, and Lofgren. 

Staff Present: Sean Moran, Staff Director; Kim Betz, Deputy 

Staff Director/Policy and Oversight; Steven Wall, Deputy General 

Counsel; Dan Jarrell, Legislative Clerk; Max Engling, Staff Director of the Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards; Courtney Parella, Communications Director; Jamie Fleet, Minority Staff 

Director; Khalil Abboud, Minority Deputy Staff Director; and Eddie 

Flaherty, Minority Chief Clerk. 

The CHAIRMAN. I call to order the Committee on House Administration for today’s Committee markup. A quorum is present, so we 

may proceed. 

The meeting record will remain open for 5 legislative days so 

Members may submit any materials they wish to be included therein. 

[The information follows:] 

The CHAIRMAN. We are here today to formally approve Committee Resolution 115–20 to update the townhall meeting regulations found in the Members’ Congressional Handbook. 

The current handbook regulations allows Members of the House 

to co-host in-person townhall meetings with Members representing 

adjacent congressional districts. This handbook update will allow 

Members of the House to co-host telephone and internet or virtual 

townhall meetings with another Member even if the congressional 

districts are not adjacent. 

This update will offer additional flexibility to Members when 

communicating with their constituents via virtual townhall meetings. 

I would now like to recognize the Ranking Member, Mr. Brady, 

for the purpose of providing an opening statement if he desires. 

Mr. BRADY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. Chairman, I support the Committee resolution before us 

today. This change to our Members’ handbook will allow Members 

to communicate with their constituents about regional issues, allowing constituents more meaningful access to their government. I 

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appreciate the bipartisan work in developing this proposal, and I 

urge my colleagues to support it. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Brady. 

I would ask if any other Member of the Committee wishes to be 

recognized for the purpose of providing an opening statement. 

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Chairman. 

The CHAIRMAN. I recognize the gentlewoman from California. 

Ms. LOFGREN. I don’t have an opening statement, but I just 

wanted to clarify—I think it is permitted, but I wanted to get it 

on the record—that you could have more than one adjacent Member. 

For example, I had a townhall meeting once where there were 

three Members who were adjacent to each other on a topic, held 

at the county, you know, board chambers. 

So this is not restricted to two if there are—in an urban area, 

for example, there are oftentimes more than two who are adjacent. 

And, with that clarification, I would yield back. 

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair would agree with that interpretation. 

As long as they are adjacent, it can be more than two. 

Ms. LOFGREN. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Anyone else? 

I now call up and lay before the Committee Resolution 115–20 

to prove the update to the Members’ Congressional Handbook. 

Without objection, the first reading of the resolution is dispensed 

with, and the resolution is considered read and open for amendment at any point. 

[The resolution follows:] 

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Insert offset folio 8 here 33311.001

Committee Resolution 115-20 

Resolved, the Committee on House Administration adopts the following regulations 

amending and superseding prior regulations known collectively as the Members' 

Congressional Handbook: 

In the "Communications" section, beginning with the first paragraph, strike paragraphs 

"Town Hall Meetings" through "Virtual Town Hall Meetings" and insert: 

"Physical 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: 

Advertisements 

Rental of rooms, chairs, audio systems 

AudioNideo Expenses 

Interpreting Services 

ADA Accommodations 

Reporting and transcription services 

Electronic Transmission (not television) 

Custodial Services 

Signs/banners/leaflets/flyers that comply with the Franking Regulations 

Security, including personal security contractors (Members are strongly urged to coordinate any security 

needs with the House Sergeant at Arms.) For additional information, please see the Security and 

Contractors sections. 

Plants or other relevant decorative items of nominal value 
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Insert offset folio 9 here 33311.002

may be directly vouchered through the Office of Finance with supporting documentation 

(invitation, agenda, etc.). 

2. 39 U.S. C. § 3210 prohibits Members from sending any mass mailings outside of the district from 

which elected. Therefore, Franked mail expenses that relate to advertising joint virtual town hall 

meetings must be separately accounted for and charged to the MRA of the Member into whose 

district the Franked mail was delivered. 

Unsolicited mass mailings and communications related to joint virtual town hall meetings may only be 

sent by Members to their own constituents and may only contain the sending Member's contact 

information. 

Joint virtual town hall meetings may only target the hosts' Congressional Districts (telephone and 

internet) or the hosts' social media followers (internet)." 
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The CHAIRMAN. Is there any debate? 

Are there any Members who wish to offer an amendment to the 

resolution? 

If not, I move the Committee adopt the resolution. 

The question is on the motion. 

All those in favor, signify by saying aye. 

Opposed, say nay. 

In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it, and the motion is 

agreed to. 

Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. 

Without objection, the markup is adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 11:27 a.m., the Committee was adjourned.] 

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