article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Franked Mail Savings Act''. SEC. 2. OFFICIAL MASS MAILING ALLOWANCE. Section 311(f) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 (2 U.S.C. 59e(f)) is amended to read as follows: ``(f)(1) There is established in the House of Representatives an Official Mass Mailing Allowance for Members of the House of Representatives. ``(2) The Official Mass Mailing Allowance of a Member of the House of Representatives-- ``(A) shall be available only for postage for any mass mailing sent by such Member as franked mail; ``(B) shall be the sole source of funding for any such postage; and ``(C) shall be available, in a session of Congress (subject to paragraph (5)(A)(ii)), in an amount not to exceed the total amount allocated to the Official Mail Allowance of such Member in such session. ``(3) No amount may be transferred to or from the Official Mass Mailing Allowance of a Member of the House of Representatives (including as described in the parenthetical matter in subsection (a)(2)(A)), except as provided in subsection (e)(3)(B). ``(4) For purposes of subsection (b), the Official Mass Mailing Allowance of (and any mass mailing sent by) a Member of the House of Representatives shall be treated separately from the Official Mail Allowance of (and any other official mail sent by) such Member. ``(5) Otherwise applicable provisions of law relating to mass mailings sent by a Member of (or Member-elect to) the House of Representatives shall continue to govern such mass mailings-- ``(A) except that-- ``(i) for purposes of carrying out those other provisions of law, the term `mass mailing' shall have the meaning given it under paragraph (8); and ``(ii) a mass mailing may not be sent if it would be postmarked during any session that begins in an even-numbered calendar year (excluding any mail sent after the Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November of such year, and any mass mailing described in section 3210(a)(6)(B) of title 39, United States Code); and ``(B) except as otherwise provided in this subsection. ``(6) A Member of the House of Representatives shall-- ``(A) before making any mass mailing, submit a sample of the mail matter involved to the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards for an advisory opinion as to whether such proposed mailing is in compliance with applicable provisions of law, rule, or regulation; ``(B) before making any mailing of substantially identical mail which totals 250 pieces or less (but more than 50), and which in every other respect meets the definition of a mass mailing, submit a sample of the mail matter involved to such Commission; and ``(C) before making any mailing of substantially identical mail, in the nature of a town meeting notice, which totals more than 50 pieces, and which in every other respect (aside from such nature and number) meets the definition of a mass mailing, submit a sample of the mail matter involved to such Commission. ``(7)(A) The regulations prescribed in connection with subsection (a)(3) shall be amended to require, in addition to the information otherwise required to be included in the quarterly report referred to therein, a statement of-- ``(i) costs charged against the Official Mass Mailing Allowance of each Member; and ``(ii) the number of pieces of mail in any mass mailing sent by a Member. ``(B) The House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards shall by regulation establish procedures under which there shall be made available to the public for review and copying any matter submitted to the Commission under paragraph (6). Any copying under the preceding sentence shall be at the expense of the person who requests the copying. ``(8) For the purpose of this subsection-- ``(A) the term `mass mailing' means, with respect to a session of Congress, any mailing of newsletters or other pieces of mail with substantially identical content (whether such mail is deposited singly or in bulk, or at the same time or different times), totaling more than 250 pieces in that session, except that such term does not include any mailing-- ``(i) of matter in direct response to a communication from a person to whom the matter is mailed; ``(ii) from a Member of Congress to other Members of Congress, or to Federal, State, or local government officials; ``(iii) of a news release to the communications media; or ``(iv) described in clause (iv) or (v) of section 6(b)(1)(B) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1995 (39 U.S.C. 3210 note), subject to the same restriction as specified in such clause (iv) with respect to a Member of the Senate; ``(B) the term `franked mail' has the meaning given such term by section 3201(4) of title 39, United States Code; and ``(C) the term `town meeting notice' means (including for purposes of subparagraph (A)(iv)) any mailing which-- ``(i) relates solely to a notice of the time and place at which a Member of the House of Representatives or 1 or more members of the Member's staff will be available to meet constituents regarding legislative issues or problems with Federal programs; ``(ii) appears on a mailing 5\1/2\" x 8" or smaller; ``(iii) includes not more than 3 references to the Member (excluding any reference appearing as the frank, consisting of the signature and name at the end of the mailing, or otherwise specified in regulations of the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards); and ``(iv) does not include any picture, sketch, or other likeness of the Member.''. SEC. 3. PROVISIONS RELATING TO MEMBERS' OFFICIAL MAIL ALLOWANCE. (a) Reduction in Maximum Allocation.--Section 311(e)(2)(B)(i) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 (2 U.S.C. 59e(e)(2)(B)(i)) is amended by striking ``3'' and inserting ``0.5''. (b) Limitation on Transfers.--Paragraph (3) of section 311(e) of such Act is amended to read as follows: ``(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), no amount may be transferred to or from the Official Mail Allowance of a Member of the House of Representatives. ``(B) A Member of the House of Representatives may transfer amounts from the Official Mass Mailing Allowance of the Member to the Official Mail Allowance of the Member.''. SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. The amendments made by this Act shall take effect as of the first day of the first regular session of Congress beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
summary: Franked Mail Savings Act - Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 to establish an Official Mass Mailing Allowance for Members of the House of Representatives. Requires the Official Mass Mailing Allowance to be: (1) available only for postage for any mass mailing sent by a Member as franked mail; (2) the sole source of funding for any such postage; and (3) available in a session of Congress in an amount that does not exceed the total amount allocated to the Official Mail Allowance of a Member in such session. Treats the Official Mass Mailing Allowance and mass mailings separately from the Official Mail Allowance. Continues the applicability of current provisions of law relating to mass mailings sent by a Member or Member-elect subject to certain conditions. Sets forth requirements for the submission of samples of mass mailings to the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards. Revises the formula for determining the Official Mail Allowance (thereby reducing the maximum allocation allowed). Prohibits the transfer of any amount (except for amounts from the Official Mass Mailing Allowance) to or from the Official Mail Allowance of a Member. (Currently, transfers up to a specified amount are allowed from the Official Expenses and Clerk Hire Allowances.)