About the Commission

The House Communications Standards Commission is a six-person bipartisan commission whose primary functions include:

1. Issuing regulations governing the proper use of the franking privilege and other official communications resources

2. Providing advice and counsel to Members of Congress and House Committees about their mass communications by issuing Advisory Opinions

3. Hearing formal complaints against Members who have allegedly violated franking regulations and law

The Commission’s regulations cover the content of official office communications distributed by the U.S. House of Representatives, and include, but not are limited to, postal mail, e-mail, handouts, SMS messages (and similar messaging methods), advertisements (including digital, newspaper, radio, and television), robo calls, and other paper-based, telecommunications-based, and digital communications.

Resources

• Rules of Practice in Proceedings Before the House Communications Standards Commission

• House Congressional Communications Standards (New Franking Manual)

• Public, online database for Advisory Opinions

• Title 2, Chapter 16 of the U.S. Code

• Title 39, Chapter 32 of the U.S. Code