No Free Campaigns for Congress Act of 2018

To amend title 39, United States Code, to prohibit a Member or Member-elect of Congress from mailing as franked mail any material with a photographic image, to establish an annual limit on the amount of funds which may be expended on franked mail by a Member or Member-elect of Congress, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the No Free Campaigns for Congress Act of 2018 2. Prohibiting material with photographic image from treatment as franked mail (a) Prohibition Section 3210(a)(5) of title 39, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking or (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (C) and inserting ; or (3) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph: (D) mail matter which includes a photograph or photographic representation, other than an electronic communication. . (b) Conforming amendment Section 3210(a)(3) of such title is amended— (1) in subparagraph (H), by adding or (2) in subparagraph (I), by striking ; or (3) by striking subparagraph (J). 3. Annual limit on amount spent on franked mail Section 3210 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (h) The total amount of funds that may be spent for the costs of franked mail sent by any Member or Member-elect of Congress, including the costs of postage, preparation, and handling of such mail, may not exceed $10,000— (1) during a calendar year (beginning with calendar year 2019), in the case of a Member or Member-elect of the House of Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress); or (2) during a fiscal year (beginning with fiscal year 2019), in the case of a Member or Member-elect of the Senate. . 4. Ban on mass mailings at any time during year of election (a) Federal elections Section 3210(a)(6)(A)(i) of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting the following: , or (except in the case of a mass mailing consisting exclusively of electronic communications) is postmarked at any time during the year in which such election is held prior to the date of the election; (b) Elections for other offices in which House Member is a candidate Section 3210(a)(6)(A)(ii)(II) of such title is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: , or (except in the case of a mass mailing consisting exclusively of electronic communications) is postmarked at any time during the year in which such election is held prior to the date of the election 5. Clarification of ban on sending campaign-related material as franked mail Section 3210(a)(4) of title 39, United States Code, is amended by striking purely personal purely personal, or purely related to a campaign for election for office, 6. Effective date Except as otherwise provided, this Act and the amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to matter mailed on or after the expiration of the 30-day period which begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: No Free Campaigns for Congress Act of 2018 This bill excludes from treatment as franked mail material transmitted by a Member of Congress, or a Member-elect, that includes a photograph or photographic representation, other than as an electronic communication. The total amount that may be spent for the costs of franked mail sent by any Member or Member-elect may not exceed $10,000 during a calendar year or during a fiscal year in the case of the House of Representatives or the Senate, respectively. The bill bans mass mailings postmarked at any time during an election year. The franking privilege may not be used for mail that is purely related to a campaign for election for office.