2 USC CHAPTER 53, SUBCHAPTER III: EXPENSES AND ALLOWANCES

From Title 2—THE CONGRESSCHAPTER 53—HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEMBERS

SUBCHAPTER III—EXPENSES AND ALLOWANCES

§5341. Representational allowance for Members of House of Representatives

(a) In general

There is established for the House of Representatives a single allowance, to be known as the "Members' Representational Allowance", which shall be available to support the conduct of the official and representational duties of a Member or Member-elect of the House of Representatives with respect to the district from which the Member or Member-elect is elected.

(b) Merger

The Clerk Hire Allowance, the Official Expenses Allowance, and the Official Mail Allowance, as in effect on the day before September 1, 1995, are merged into the Members' Representational Allowance.

(c) "Member of the House of Representatives" defined

As used in this section, the term "Member of the House of Representatives" means a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.

(d) Regulations

The Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives shall have authority to prescribe regulations to carry out this section, including regulations establishing under subsection (a) the official and representational duties during a Congress of a Member-elect of the House of Representatives who is not an incumbent Member re-elected to the ensuing Congress.

(e) Effective date

This section shall take effect on September 1, 1995 and shall apply with respect to official and representational duties carried out on or after that date.

(Pub. L. 104–186, title I, §101, Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1719; Pub. L. 116–260, div. I, title I, §117(a), (b), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1641.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 57b of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

2020—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–260, §117(a), substituted "a Member or Member-elect" for "a Member" and "the Member or Member-elect" for "the Member".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–260, §117(b), substituted ", including regulations establishing under subsection (a) the official and representational duties during a Congress of a Member-elect of the House of Representatives who is not an incumbent Member re-elected to the ensuing Congress." for period at end.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

Effective Date of 2020 Amendment

Pub. L. 116–260, div. I, title I, §117(c), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1641, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply with respect to Members-elect of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress and each succeeding Congress."

§5342. Reimbursement of transportation expenses for employees in office of House Member

The applicable accounts of the House of Representatives is ¹ made available after August 28, 1965, for reimbursement of transportation expenses incurred by not to exceed two employees in the office of a Member of the House of Representatives (including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico) for one round trip each, or incurred by not to exceed one employee for two round trips, in any calendar year between Washington, District of Columbia, and the place of residence of the Member representing the congressional district involved. Such payment shall be made only upon vouchers approved by the Member containing a certification by him that such travel was performed in line of official duty, but the mileage allowed for any such trip shall not exceed the round trip mileage by the nearest usual route between Washington, District of Columbia, and the Member's place of residence in the congressional district involved. The Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives shall make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section.

(Pub. L. 89–147, §3, Aug. 28, 1965, 79 Stat. 583; Pub. L. 104–186, title II, §204(71), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1740.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 127a of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–186 substituted "applicable accounts" for "contingent fund" and "House Oversight" for "House Administration".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

¹ So in original. Probably should be "are".

§5343. Staff expenses for House Members attending organizational caucus or conference

(a) In general

Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under section 29a(a) of this title, and each incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress who attends any such caucus or conference convening after the adjournment sine die of the Congress in the year involved, shall be entitled to designate one staff person to be paid for one round trip between that person's place of residence, provided such place of residence is in the district which the Member-elect or incumbent Member represents, and Washington, District of Columbia, for the purpose of accompanying that Member-elect or incumbent Member to such caucus or conference.

(b) Per diem expenses of staff person

Each Member-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) who attends a caucus or conference called under such section 29a(a) of this title shall be entitled to designate one staff person who shall in addition be reimbursed on a per diem or other basis for expenses incurred in accompanying the Member-elect at the time of such caucus or conference.

(c) Orientation programs for new Members

With the approval of the majority leader (in the case of a Member or Member-elect of the majority party) or the minority leader (in the case of a Member or Member-elect of the minority party), subsections (a) and (b) shall apply with respect to the attendance of a Member or Member-elect at a program conducted by the Committee on House Administration for the orientation of new members ¹ in the same manner as such provisions apply to the attendance of the Member or Member-elect at the organizational caucus or conference.

(Pub. L. 94–59, title II, §201, July 25, 1975, 89 Stat. 282; Pub. L. 108–447, div. G, title I, §107(b)(2), (c)(2), Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 3176.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 43b–2 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Section is based on section 1 of House Resolution No. 10, Ninety-fourth Congress, Jan. 14, 1975, which was enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 94–59.

Amendments

2004—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–447, §107(b)(2), substituted a period for "for a period not to exceed the shorter of the following—

"(i) the period beginning with the day before the designated date upon which such caucus or conference is to convene and ending with the day after the date of the final adjournment of such caucus or conference; or

"(ii) fourteen days."

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–447, §107(c)(2), added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 108–447 applicable with respect to the One Hundred Tenth Congress and each succeeding Congress, see section 107(d) of Pub. L. 108–447, set out as a note under section 29a of this title.

¹ So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

§5344. Payments and reimbursements for certain House staff expenses

(a) Payments and reimbursements to staff persons under section 5343 of this title shall be made as provided (with respect to staff) in the regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Oversight with respect to travel and other expenses of staff. Reimbursements shall be paid on special voucher forms prescribed by the Committee on House Oversight.

(b) Additional funds, if any, for staff allowances and office space for use by Members-elect (other than an incumbent Member reelected to the ensuing Congress) shall be authorized by the Committee on House Oversight.

(Pub. L. 94–59, title II, §201, July 25, 1975, 89 Stat. 282; Pub. L. 104–186, title II, §203(15), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1727.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 43b–3 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Section is based on section 2 of House Resolution No. 10, Ninety-fourth Congress, Jan. 14, 1975, which was enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 94–59.

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–186 substituted "House Oversight" for "House Administration" wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

§5345. Annotated United States Code for Members of House of Representatives to be paid for from Members' Representational Allowance

(a) In general

The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall, at the request of a Member of the House of Representatives, furnish to the Member, for official use only, one set of a privately published annotated version of the United States Code, including supplements and pocket parts. The furnishing of a set of the United States Code under this section shall be in lieu of any distribution under section 212 of title 1 and shall be paid for from the Members' Representational Allowance.

(b) "Member of the House of Representatives" defined

As used in this section, the term "Member of the House of Representatives" means a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.

(c) Regulations

The Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives shall have authority to prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

(Pub. L. 104–186, title I, §107, Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1723.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 54 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Section is comprised of section 107 of Pub. L. 104–186. Subsec. (d) of section 107 of Pub. L. 104–186 repealed former section 54 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

§5346. Transportation of official records and papers to House Member's district

(a) Payment of reasonable expenses from applicable accounts of House; rules and regulations

Effective August 16, 1978, notwithstanding any provision of law and until otherwise provided by law, the applicable accounts of the House shall be available to pay the reasonable expenses of sending or transporting the official records and papers of any Member of the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia to any location designated by such Member in the district represented by the Member.

The Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to provide for the most economical means of sending or transporting such documents to insure the orderly and timely delivery to the specified location. The Committee on House Oversight shall have the authority to issue rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.

(b) "Member of the House of Representatives" and "official records and papers" defined

As used in this section—

(1) the term "Member of the House of Representatives" means a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress; and

(2) the term "official records and papers" means books, records, papers, and official files which could be sent as franked mail.

(Pub. L. 98–51, title I, §111(1), July 14, 1983, 97 Stat. 269; Pub. L. 104–186, title II, §203(21), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1728.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 59d of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

In subsec. (a), "August 16, 1978" substituted for "upon the date of adoption of this resolution" meaning the date of adoption of House Resolution No. 1297, which was agreed to Aug. 16, 1978.

Section is based on House Resolution No. 1297, Ninety-fifth Congress, Aug. 16, 1978, which was enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 98–51.

Sections 1 and 2 of House Resolution No. 1297 were redesignated subsecs. (a) and (b) of this section, respectively, for purposes of codification.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–186, §203(21)(A)–(C), substituted "applicable accounts" for "contingent fund" in first par. and "Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives" for "Clerk of the House of Representatives" and "House Oversight" for "House Administration" in second par.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–186, §203(21)(D), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: "the term 'Member' means a Representative, a Resident Commissioner in the House, and a Delegate to the House; and".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

§5347. Delivery of bills and resolutions

(a) None of the funds made available in any fiscal year may be used to deliver a printed copy of a bill, joint resolution, or resolution to the office of a Member of the House of Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress) unless the Member requests a copy.