I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5151 

To limit the amount which may be made available for the Members’ Representational Allowance for fiscal year 2011, to prohibit the use of such 

Allowance for expenses of official mail of any material other than a 

document transmitted under the official letterhead of the Member involved, and to require the quarterly statement of costs incurred for 

official mail by offices of the House of Representatives to provide a 

separate breakdown of the costs incurred for each method of mass 

communication covered by the statement. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 27, 2010 

Mr. FLAKE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on House Administration 

A BILL 

To limit the amount which may be made available for the 

Members’ Representational Allowance for fiscal year 

2011, to prohibit the use of such Allowance for expenses 

of official mail of any material other than a document 

transmitted under the official letterhead of the Member 

involved, and to require the quarterly statement of costs 

incurred for official mail by offices of the House of 

Representatives to provide a separate breakdown of the 

costs incurred for each method of mass communication 

covered by the statement. 


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•HR 5151 IH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Congressional Over5 sight and Spending Transparency (COST) Act of 2010’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LIMIT ON AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS’ REP7 RESENTATIONAL ALLOWANCE. 

8 The amount authorized to be appropriated for the 

9 Members’ Representational Allowance under section 101 

10 of the House of Representatives Administrative Reform 

11 Technical Corrections Act (2 U.S.C. 57b) for fiscal year 

12 2011 may not exceed the amount appropriated for such 

13 Allowance for fiscal year 2009. 

14 SEC. 3. RESTRICTING USE OF FRANK BY MEMBERS OF THE 

15 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 

16 (a) RESTRICTING USE OF FRANK TO MATERIALS

17 TRANSMITTED UNDER LETTERHEAD.—Section 311(e) of 

18 the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 (2 

19 U.S.C. 59e(e)) is amended by adding at the end the fol20 lowing new paragraph: 

21 ‘‘(3) Funds of the House of Representatives may not 

22 be used for official mail of a Member of the House of Rep23 resentatives for any material other than a document trans24 mitted under the official letterhead used for the Member’s 

25 stationery.’’. 


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•HR 5151 IH

1 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

2 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to official mail dis3 seminated on or after the date of the enactment of this 

4 Act. 

5 SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION OF INFORMATION INCLUDED IN 

6 QUARTERLY REPORTS OF EXPENDITURES 

7 FOR OFFICIAL MAIL OF HOUSE OF REP8 RESENTATIVES. 

9 (a) SEPARATION OF INFORMATION AMONG TYPES OF

10 COMMUNICATIONS.—Section 311(a)(3) of the Legislative 

11 Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 (2 U.S.C. 59e(a)(3)) is 

12 amended by striking the period at the end and inserting 

13 the following: ‘‘, and shall include in the statement a 

14 breakdown of the costs incurred for each category of mass 

15 mailings and communications covered by the statement.’’. 

16 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

17 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to reports filed by 

18 the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Rep19 resentatives under section 311(a)(3) of the Legislative 

20 Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 (2 U.S.C. 59e(a)(3)) on 

21 or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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