![]() ![]() Goods and Services Paid for With the Members’ Representational Allowance or House Committee Funds. Laws and Rules on Proper Use of Official Resources ![]() Definitive explanation of those rules is available from the Committee on House Administration, the Franking Commission, and their staffs. Many of the applicable rules here are statutorily based rules that were issued by either the Committee on House Administration or the House Franking Commission (formally known as the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards). Likewise, a Member may not refer to or discuss his endorsement in letters sent on official stationery, including letters sent in response to constituent inquiries. The Member may not issue the release out of his House office or use any House resources (including his official press release letterhead) in making the announcement. A Member wishes to issue a press release announcing that he is endorsing a candidate for president. Senate, or a state or local office, and it applies to such campaigns whether the Member is a candidate or is merely seeking to support or assist (or oppose) a candidate in such a campaign.Įxample 1. Thus the prohibition applies to, for example, campaigns for the presidency, the U.S. Members and staff should be aware that the general prohibition against campaign or political use of official resources applies not only to any Member campaign for re-election, but rather to any campaign or political undertaking. Those activities are described in this section. However, the Committee has long recognized that there are certain limited activities in a congressional office that, while related to a Member’s campaign, are permissible. The effect of these laws and rules is generally to preclude campaign or political activity from taking place in congressional offices. Specific laws and rules that prohibit the use of official resources for campaign or political purposes are summarized in the remainder of this section. The Committee has long taken the position that each Member is responsible for assuring that the Member’s employees are aware of and adhere to the rules, and for assuring that House resources are used for proper purposes.4 Moreover, while any House employee who makes improper use of House resources is subject to disciplinary action by the Committee on Ethics, each Member should be aware that he or she may be held responsible for any improper use of resources that occurs in the Member’s office. Depending on the circumstances, such conduct may result in not only disciplinary action by the House, but also criminal prosecution. The misuse of the funds and other resources that the House of Representatives entrusts to Members for the conduct of official House business is a very serious matter. The same prohibition applies to any activity that is funded to any extent with campaign funds, even if the activity is not overtly political in nature. ![]() Accordingly, among the resources that generally may not be used for campaign or political purposes are congressional office equipment (including the computers, telephones, and fax machines), office supplies (including official stationery and envelopes), and congressional staff time.Īmong the specific activities that clearly may not be undertaken in a congressional office or using House resources (including official staff time) are the solicitation of contributions the drafting of campaign speeches, statements, press releases or literature the completion of FEC reports the creation or issuance of a campaign mailing and the holding of a meeting on campaign business. What are the “official resources” to which this basic rule applies? Certainly the funds appropriated for Member, committee, and other House offices are official resources, as are the goods and services purchased with those funds. The laws and rules referenced in this section reflect “the basic principle that government funds should not be spent to help incumbents gain reelection.” 3 Official resources of the House must, as a general rule, be used for the performance of official business of the House, and hence those resources may not be used for campaign or political purposes. General Prohibition Against Using Official Resources for Campaign or Political Purposes ![]()
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