Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “No Free Campaigns for Congress Act of 2018”.
No Free Campaigns for Congress Act of 2018
A BILL
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.
Sec. 2 Prohibiting material with photographic image from treatment as franked mail
Prohibition— Section 3210(a)(5) of title 39, United States Code, is amended—
by striking “or” at the end of subparagraph (B);
by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (C) and inserting “; or”; and
by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph:
“(D) mail matter which includes a photograph or photographic representation, other than an electronic communication.”
Conforming amendment— Section 3210(a)(3) of such title is amended—
in subparagraph (H), by adding “or” at the end;
in subparagraph (I), by striking “; or” and inserting a period; and
by striking subparagraph (J).
Sec. 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.”
Sec. 4 Ban on mass mailings at any time during year of election
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;”.
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”.
Sec. 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” and inserting “purely personal, or purely related to a campaign for election for office,”.
Sec. 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.