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House Committee Funding and Mail Allowances for the 116th Congress

Original title: H. RES. 245, PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENSES OF CERTAIN COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS; AND COMMITTEE RESOLUTION 116-09, A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE FRANKED MAIL ALLOWANCES FOR COMMITTEES FOR THE 116TH CONGRESS

Record date · January 1, 2019

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What This Bill Does

The Committee on House Administration met to consider H. Res. 245, which sets the primary expense budgets for House committees, and Committee Resolution 116-09, which authorizes allowances. The proposed budget includes an average 3.8% increase per committee and establishes a $6.5 million reserve fund for the second session.

Why it matters

This resolution determines the operational budgets and postal allowances for House committees, directly impacting the resources available for legislative work and oversight during the 116th Congress.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

House Committees

These committees receive their operational budgets and postal allowances through these resolutions.

Directly affected

Select Committee on the Climate Crisis

This committee is specifically allocated $3.7 million in funding under the proposed resolution.

Indirectly affected

Appropriations Committee

This committee is excluded from the funding resolution process applied to other committees.

Key Facts

  • H. Res. 245 provides the primary expense funding for House committees in the 116th Congress.
  • Committee Resolution 116-09 authorizes franked mail allowances for committees.
  • The proposed budget provides an average increase of approximately 3.8% per committee.
  • The Ethics Committee receives the largest percentage increase to fund an update to the Ethics Manual.
Show all 9 facts
  • The Select Committee on the Climate Crisis is allocated $3.7 million in funding.
  • A $6.5 million reserve fund is established for the second session to provide flexibility for committee needs.
  • The resolution includes a requirement for committee chairs and ranking members to participate in a mid-Congress check-in on resource usage.
  • Expenditures from the reserve fund require agreement between the Chairperson and Ranking Member, or a committee vote.
  • The Appropriations Committee is excluded from this specific funding resolution process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is franked mail?
refers to official mail sent by members of Congress or committees using their signature in place of a postage stamp.
How much are committee budgets increasing?
The proposed resolution provides an average increase of approximately 3.8% per committee.
What is the purpose of the $6.5 million reserve fund?
The fund is intended to provide flexibility to allocate additional resources to committees during the second session if needed.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Mid-Congress Oversight

The resolution introduces a new requirement for committee leaders to report on resource usage mid-Congress, signaling a shift toward tighter fiscal oversight.

Connected Entities

Lofgren, Zoe, Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, Committee on House Administration
PersonLofgren, Zoe“Chairperson of the Committee on House Administration”Map →
OrganizationSelect Committee on the Climate Crisis“Committee allocated $3.7 million in the proposed resolution”Map →
OrganizationCommittee on House Administration“The committee responsible for overseeing House operations and funding”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

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  • Significance60
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  • Controversy30
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  • Entertainment10
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  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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