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The law › Title 2, The Congress › Chapter 16

2 U.S.C. 503: Official mail of persons entitled to use congressional frank

Created in 1990 by Public Law 101-520. Changed by 8 later laws. No bill we track in this Congress changes it.

1 other section of the Code cite this one, including 2 U.S.C. 4313.

This Congress

No bill we track in the 119th Congress changes this section.

    How it got here

    2020

    • Pub. L. 116–260, §116(b)(2)(B), substituted "House Communications Standards Commission" for "House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards" in two places. (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 116–260, §116(b)(2)(B), substituted "House Communications Standards Commission" for "House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards". (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 116–260, §116(c)(2)(B), designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted "Except as provided in paragraph (2), a Member" for "A Member", and added par. (2). (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) Law text · (f)
    • Pub. L. 116–260, §116(c)(2)(A), substituted "any mass communication" for "any mass mailing", "matter" for "mail matter", "House Communications Standards Commission" for "House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards", and "such proposed communication" for "such proposed mailing". (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) Law text · (f)
    • Pub. L. 116–260, §116(b)(2)(B), substituted "House Communications Standards Commission" for "House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards". (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) Law text · (f)
    • Pub. L. 116–260, §116(c)(2)(C), added par. (3). (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) Law text · (g)

    2003

    • Pub. L. 108–83, in introductory provisions, struck out "in the House, or official expenses" after "defray official expenses" and "in the Senate" after "(excluding handheld communications devices)". (Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004) Law text · (d)

    2001

    • Pub. L. 107–68, in introductory provisions, inserted "in the House, or official expenses for franked mail, employee salaries, office space, furniture, or equipment and any associated information technology services (excluding handheld communications devices) in the Senate" after "expen… Law text · (d)

    1999

    • Pub. L. 106–57, §103(a)(4)(B), substituted "costs incurred for official mail by" for "costs charged against the Official Mail Allowance for". Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 106–19 substituted "any person with an allocation under subsection (a)(2)(A) as to the amount that has been used and any person with an allocation under subsection (a)(2)(B)" for "any person with an allocation under subsection (a)(2)". Law text · (b)
    • Pub. L. 106–57, §103(a)(1)(A), in introductory provisions, substituted "The use of funds of the House of Representatives which are made available for official mail of Members, officers, and employees of the House of Representatives who are persons entitled to use the congressional f… Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 106–57, §103(a)(1)(B), substituted "official mail (except as provided in subparagraph (B))" for "the Allowance". Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 106–57, §103(a)(2)(A), substituted "Funds used for official mail—" for "The Official Mail Allowance—" in introductory provisions. Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 106–57, §102, made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 105–275, §104(a). See 1998 Amendment note below. Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 106–57, §103(a)(2)(B), (C), redesignated subpars. (B) and (C) as (A) and (B), respectively, and struck out former subpar. (A) which read as follows: "shall be available for postage for franked mail sent at a first class, third class, or fourth class rate;". Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 106–57, §103(a)(3), struck out par. (3) which read as follows: Law text · (e)

    1998

    • Pub. L. 105–275, §104(a), as amended by Pub. L. 106–57, §102, inserted "and" at end of subpar. (B), substituted a period for "; and" at end of subpar. (C), and struck out subpar. (D) which read as follows: "shall not be available for payment of any nonpostage fee or charge, includin… Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 105–275, §104(b), struck out par. (4) which read as follows: "The Members' Representational Allowance shall be available to a Member of the House of Representatives for the payment of nonpostage fees and charges referred to in paragraph (2)(D) and for postage for mail for of… Law text · (e)

    1996

    • Pub. L. 104–186, §203(22)(B)(i), substituted "House Oversight" for "House Administration" in introductory provisions. (House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 104–186, §203(22)(A), (B)(ii), substituted "Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives" for "Clerk of the House of Representatives" and "House Oversight" for "House Administration". (House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act) Law text · (a)
    • Pub. L. 104–186, §203(22)(B)(iii), substituted "House Oversight" for "House Administration" in introductory provisions. (House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act) Law text · (b)
    • Pub. L. 104–186, §203(22)(B)(iv), substituted "House Oversight" for "House Administration". (House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 104–186, §203(22)(B)(v), struck out "only" after "available". (House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 104–186, §203(22)(B)(vi), substituted "Members' Representational Allowance" for "Official Expenses Allowance and the Clerk Hire Allowance". (House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 104–186, §203(22)(B)(vii), substituted "Members' Representational Allowance" for "Official Expenses Allowance". (House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act) Law text · (e)

    1991

    • Pub. L. 102–229 substituted "beginning on May 1, 1992," for "with respect to sessions of Congress beginning with the second session of the One Hundred Second Congress,". · (i)

    Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.