,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #geab ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,august #c1 #bjbj,received ,,an ,,act ,to rename the ,house ,commission on ,congressional ,mailing ,standards as the ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission1 to extend the authority of the ,commission to regulate mass mailings of ,members and ,members-elect of the ,house of ,representatives to all unsolicited mass communications of ,members and ,members-elect of the ,house1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,communications ,outreach ,media and ,mail ,standards ,act or the ,,comms ,act4 #b4 ,renaming ,house ,commission on ,congressional ,mailing ,standards 7a7 ,in general ,section #e7;a7 of the ,act entitled ,an ,act to amend title #ci1 ,united ,states ,code1 to clarify the proper use of the franking privilege by ,members of ,congress1 and for other purposes1 approved ,december #ah1 #aigc 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #eja7;a771 is amended by striking ,house ,commission on ,congressional ,mailing ,standards and inserting ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission4 7b7 ,conforming amendments 7#a7 ,title #ci ,title #ci1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking ,house ,commission on ,congressional ,mailing ,standards and inserting ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission each place it appears in the following sections3 7,a7 ,section #cbaj7;a77#e71 7a77#f77;,d71 7b77#c71 7d77#e71 and 7d77#f77;,a74 7,b7 ,section #cbaf7;e77#a7 and 7e77#b74 7,c7 ,section #cbbj7;b74 7#b7 ,other provisions ,section #caa of the ,legislative ,branch ,appropriations ,act1 #aiia 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #ejc7 is amended by striking ,house ,commission on ,congressional ,mailing ,standards and inserting ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission each place it appears in subsections 7a77#c71 7e77#a77;,b71 and 7f74 7c7 ,references in ,other ,documents ,any reference in any rule1 regulation1 or other document to the ,house ,commission on ,congressional ,mailing ,standards shall be deemed to be a reference to the ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission4 #c4 ,authority of ,commission over official mass communications 7a7 ,authority ,to provide guidance regarding dissemination of mass communications 7#a7 ,in general ,section #e7;d7 of the ,act entitled ,an ,act to amend title #ci1 ,united ,states ,code1 to clarify the proper use of the franking privilege by ,members of ,congress1 and for other purposes1 approved ,december #ah1 #aigc 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #eja7;d771 is amended-- 7,a7 in the first sentence1 by striking ,the ,commission and inserting 7#a7 ,the ,commission2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#b7 ,in addition to the guidance1 assistance1 advice1 and counsel described in paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall provide-- 7,a7 guidance1 assistance1 advice1 and counsel1 through advisory opinions or consultations1 in connection with any law and with any rule or regulation of the ,house of ,representatives governing the dissemination of mass communications other than franked mail2 and 7,b7 guidance1 assistance1 advice1 and counsel in connection with any law and with any rule or regulation of the ,house of ,representatives governing the official content of other official communications of any quantity1 whether solicited or unsolicited4 4 7#b7 ,authority to investigate complaints ,section #e7;e7 of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #eja7;e77 is amended-- 7,a7 in the first sentence1 by striking ,any complaint and all that follows through is about to occur and inserting the following3 ,any complaint that a violation of any provision of law or any rule or regulation of the ,house of ,representatives to which subsection 7d7 applies is about to occur2 and 7,b7 in the sentence beginning with ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 by striking a violation of the franking laws or an abuse of the franking privilege by any person listed under subsection 7d7 of this section as entitled to send mail as franked mail1 and inserting a violation of any provision of law or any rule or regulation of the ,house of ,representatives to which subsection 7d7 applies14 7#c7 ,mass communication defined ,section #e of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #eja7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7h7 ,in this section1 the term mass communication means a mass mailing described in section #cbaj7;a77#f77;,e7 of title #ci1 ,united ,states ,code1 or any other unsolicited communication of substantially identical content which is transmitted to #ejj or more persons in a session of ,congress1 as provided under regulations of the ,commission1 except that such term does not include-- 7#a7 any communication from an individual described in subsection 7d7 to another individual described in subsection 7d71 a ,senator1 or any ,federal1 ,state1 local1 or ,tribal government official2 7#b7 any news release to the communications media2 7#c7 any such mass mailing or unsolicited communication made in direct response to a communication from a person to whom the mass mailing or unsolicited communication was transmitted2 or 7#d7 in the case of any such unsolicited communication which is transmitted in a digital format1 a communication for which the cost of the content is less than a threshold amount established under regulations of the ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission4 4 7b7 ,authority ,to review all unsolicited mass communications 7#a7 ,requiring review before dissemination ,section #caa7;f7 of the ,legislative ,branch ,appropriations ,act1 #aiia 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #ejc7;f77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking any mass mailing and inserting any mass communication2 7,b7 by striking mail matter and inserting matter2 and 7,c7 by striking such proposed mailing and inserting such proposed communication4 7#b7 ,exception for certain communications ,section #caa7;f7 of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #ejc7;f77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking ,a ,member and inserting 7#a7 ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 a ,member2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#b7 ,paragraph 7#a7 does not apply in the case of any type of mass communication which is designated as exempt from the requirements of such paragraph as provided under regulations of the ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission4 4 7#c7 ,definition ,section #caa7;g7 of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #ejc7;g77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking and at the end of paragraph 7#a72 7,b7 by striking the period at the end of paragraph 7#b7 and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#c7 the term mass communication means a mass mailing described in section #cbaj7;a77#f77;,e7 of title #ci1 ,united ,states ,code1 or any other unsolicited communication of substantially identical content which is transmitted to #ejj or more persons in a session of ,congress1 as provided under regulations of the ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission1 except that such term does not include-- 7,a7 any communication from a ,member of the ,house of ,representatives to another ,member of the ,house of ,representatives1 a ,senator1 or any ,federal1 ,state1 or local government official2 7,b7 any news release to the communications media2 7,c7 any such mass mailing or unsolicited communication made in direct response to a communication from a person to whom the mass mailing or unsolicited communication was transmitted2 or 7,d7 in the case of any such unsolicited communication which is transmitted in a digital format1 a communication for which the cost of the content is less than a threshold amount established under regulations of the ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission4 4 7c7 ,conforming amendment to ,rules of the ,house of ,representatives ,clause #i of rule ,,xxiv of the ,rules of the ,house of ,representatives is amended by inserting after that session1 the following3 or any other unsolicited communication of substantially identical content which is transmitted to #ejj or more persons in that session or1 in the case of a digital communication of substantially identical content1 which is disseminated at a cost exceeding a designated amount1 as provided under regulations of the ,house ,communications ,standards ,commission14 #d4 ,revision to mass mailing notice on taxpayer funding ,section #caa7;a7 of the ,legislative ,branch ,appropriations ,act1 #aiig 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #ejf7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking 7a7 ,each mass mailing and inserting 7a77#a7 ,each mass mailing2 7#b7 by striking the following notice3 and all that follows through or a notice and inserting one of the notices described in paragraph 7#b7 or a notice2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#b7 ,the notices described in this paragraph are as follows3 7,a7 ,paid for with official funds from the office of 41 with the blank filled in with the name of the ,member sending the mailing4 7,b7 ,paid for by the funds authorized by the ,house of ,representatives for ,district of 41 with the first blank filled in with the name of the congressional district number1 and the second blank filled in with the name of the ,state1 of the ,member sending the mailing4 7,c7 ,paid for by official funds authorized by the ,house of ,representatives4 4 #e4 ,revisions to restrictions on mail matter considered frankable 7a7 ,expressions of congratulations ,section #cbaj7;a77#c77;,f7 of title #ci1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking to a person who has achieved some public distinction4 7b7 ,biographical information related to official and representational duties ,section #cbaj7;a77#c77;,i7 of such title is amended by striking publication or in response to a specific request therefor and inserting the following3 publication1 in response to a specific request therefor1 or which relates to the ,member's or ,member-elect's official and representational duties14 7c7 ,photos and likenesses included in newsletters or general mass mailings ,section #cbaj7;a77#c7 of such title is amended-- 7#a7 by adding or at the end of subparagraph 7,h72 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,i71 by striking 2 or and inserting a period2 and 7#c7 by striking subparagraph 7,j74 7d7 ,clarification of ability of ,members to use franked mail ,to send personal messages to constituents ,section #cbaj7;a77#d7 of such title is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting the following3 1 except that nothing in this paragraph may be construed to prohibit the use of the franking privilege for the transmission of matter which is purely personal to a recipient who is a constituent of a ,member of ,congress and which is related to the official business1 activities1 and duties of the ,member44 7e7 ,holiday cards ,section #cbaj7;a77#e77;,b77iii7 of such title is amended by striking holiday greetings and inserting religious holiday greetings4 7f7 ,uniform blackout period for all ,members of ,congress 7#a7 ,uniform period ,section #cbaj7;a77#f77;,a7 of such title is amended-- 7,a7 in clause 7i71 by striking 7or1 in the case of a ,member of the ,house1 fewer than #ij days72 and 7,b7 in clause 7ii77,,ii71 by striking #ij days and inserting #fj days4 7#b7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by paragraph 7#a7 shall apply with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for ,federal office held in ,november #bjbj and each succeeding election for public office4 7g7 ,nonapplication of blackout period to party nominating conventions or caucuses ,section #cbaj7;a77#f7 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,g7 ,for purposes of this paragraph1 the term primary election does not include a convention or caucus of a political party which has authority to nominate a candidate4 4 7h7 ,information on certain matters ,section #cbaj7;a77#f77;,e7 of such title is amended-- 7#a7 by striking or at the end of clause 7ii72 7#b7 by striking the period at the end of clause 7iii7 and inserting 2 or2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new clause3 7iv7 providing information exclusively on competitions which are officially sanctioned by the ,house of ,representatives or ,senate1 nominations to military service academies1 official employment listings for positions in the ,house of ,representatives 7including listings for positions in the ,wounded ,warrior ,program or the ,gold ,star ,family ,fellowship ,program71 or natural disasters or other threats to public health and life safety4 4 #f4 ,effective date ,except as provided in section #e7;f77#b71 this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act shall apply with respect to communications disseminated on or after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,july #cj1 #bjbj4;,cheryl ,l4 ,johnson1,clerk4