OFFICIAL ALLOWANCES

I. Overview

Members of Congress receive a Members’ Representational Allowance (“MRA”), which is available to support the conduct of official and representational duties to the district from which they are elected. Statutory authorizations often note that such allowances are for expenses of an “official purposes” or a “strictly official” nature.[1] Legal and ethical problems arise when these allowances are used for other than official expenses, such as when they are converted to personal or campaign use. This chapter discusses the official expense allowance and the franking privilege. Members and staff seeking guidance on matters relating to the MRA or the franking privilege should first review the Members’ Handbook or the Franking Manual before consulting this chapter.