Members’ Representational Allowance:
October 30, 2023
History and Usage
Ida A. Brudnick
Members of the House of Representatives have one consolidated allowance, the Members’
Specialist on the Congress
Representational Allowance (MRA), with which to operate their offices. The MRA was first

authorized in 1996 and was made subject to regulations and adjustments of the Committee on
House Administration. Representatives have a high degree of flexibility to use the MRA to

operate their offices in a way that supports their congressional duties and responsibilities, and
individual office spending may be as varied as the districts Members represent.
Following FY2010, when the appropriation for the MRA reached its prior peak of $660.0 million, the account
• decreased in FY2011, FY2012, and FY2013 (-7.1%, -6.4%, and -5.2%, respectively);
• increased from FY2013 to FY2014 (+1.9%);
• remained flat in FY2015 (0.0%);
• remained flat in FY2016 (0.0%);
• increased from FY2016 to FY2017 (+1.5%);
• remained flat in FY2018 (0.0%);
• increased from FY2018 to FY2019 (+2.0%);
• increased from FY2019 to FY2020 (+7.2%);
• increased from FY2020 to FY2021 (+4.1%);
• increased from FY2021 to FY2022 (+21.0%); and
• increased from FY2022 to FY2023 (+4.6%).
The FY2024 budget request and the House-reported bill (H.R. 4364) would continue the FY2023 funding level of $810.0
million.
Although operating on a different timeline, changes to the authorizations for individual offices follow a similar pattern.
• In the 112th Congress, the House agreed to H.Res. 22, which reduced the amount authorized for salaries and
expenses of Member, committee, and leadership offices in 2011 and 2012. This resolution stated that the
MRA allowances for these years may not exceed 95% of the amount established for 2010.
• Individual MRAs were further reduced 6.4% in 2012 and 8.2% in 2013.
• In 2014, the individual MRAs increased by 1.0%.
• In 2015, the individual MRAs remained flat.
• In 2016, the individual MRAs increased by 1.0%.
• The individual 2017 allowances initially increased by 3.9% from 2016, and then by another $25,000 when
the House agreed to H.Res. 411.
• In 2018, the individual MRAs increased by $25,000.
• In 2019, the individual MRAs increased by 1.0%.
• In 2020, the individual MRAs increased by $62,250.
• In 2021, the individual MRAs increased by $65,000.
• In 2022, the individual MRAs increased by 21.0%.
• In 2023, the individual MRAs were recalculated generally.
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Members’ Representational Allowance: History and Usage

This report provides a history and overview of the MRA and examines spending patterns in recent years. The data exclude
nonvoting Members, including Delegates and the Resident Commissioner, as well as Members who were not in Congress for
the entirety of the session. Information is provided on total spending and spending for various categories, including personnel
compensation; travel; rent, utilities, and communications; printing and reproduction; other services; supplies and materials;
equipment; and franked mail. The data collected demonstrate that, despite variations, many Members allocate their spending
in a similar manner, and spending allocation patterns have remained relatively consistent over time.
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Members’ Representational Allowance: History and Usage

Introduction
Congressional office spending has been a regular topic of interest to academics, interest groups,
newspapers, and constituents for many years. It is a topic frequently mentioned in newspaper
articles that address individual Member spending or generally discuss financial accountability
among elected officials, and it has been examined by watchdog organizations and interest groups
covering congressional spending on internal operations generally. A few scholars have also
examined how Members typically spend their office allowances, analyzing spending within
broader theories of representation.1 Individual office spending may be as varied as the districts
Members represent. Factors affecting spending include the tenure or interests of the Member,
levels of casework, geography, unexpected events, and even the congressional calendar.
While Representatives have a high degree of flexibility to operate their offices in a way that
supports their congressional duties and responsibilities, they must operate within a number of
restrictions and regulations. The Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA), the allowance
provided to Members of the House of Representatives to operate their DC and district offices,2
may only support Members in their official and representational duties. It may not be used for
personal or campaign purposes. Additional regulations or restrictions regarding reimbursable
expenses may be promulgated by the Committee on House Administration, the Commission on
Congressional Mailing Standards, also known as the Franking Commission, and the Committee
on Standards of Official Conduct, and may be found in a wide variety of sources, including
statute, House rules, committee resolutions, the Members’ Handbook,3 the Franking Manual,4 the
House Ethics Manual, “Dear Colleague” letters, and formal and informal guidance.5
This report provides a history of the MRA and overview of recent developments. It also
demonstrates actual MRA spending patterns in recent years for all voting Members who served
for a defined period.6 Spending and practices across offices and across time vary, and an

1 Burdett Loomis and Wendy Schiller, The Contemporary Congress, 5th ed. (Belmont, CA: Thompson-Wadsworth,
2006), Ch. 7-8; Richard F. Fenno, Jr., Congressmen in Committees (Boston: Little, Brown, 1973), p. 1; David Mayhew,
Congress: The Electoral Connection (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1974), p. 49; Gary W. Cox and Jonathan N.
Katz, “Why Did the Incumbency Advantage in the U.S. House Elections Grow?” American Journal of Political
Science, vol. 40, no. 2 (May 1996), pp. 479-481; Alexander C. Furnas and Timothy M. LaPira, “Long-term Trends in
Congress’s Brain Drain,” in Legislative Capacity in the 21st Century, New America, Sept. 1, 2020, pp. 8-18; and David
C.W. Parker and Craig Goodman, “Making a Good Impression: Resource Allocation, Home Styles, and Washington
Work,” Legislative Studies Quarterly, vol. 34, no. 4 (November 2009), pp. 493-524. One study of MRA expenditures
during the 106th Congress, for example, examined the effect of a Member’s standing within the House, time in office,
and plans for retirement or reelection on spending (Garry Young, “Choosing How to Represent: House Members and
the Distribution of Their Representational Allowances,” updated version of a paper presented at the Midwest Political
Science Association, Chicago, April 7, 2005, pp. 15-18, available at http://home.gwu.edu/~youngg/research/
Homestyle%20Choices%20v3.02.pdf).
2 For additional information on the resources available to Members of Congress, see CRS Report RL30064,
Congressional Salaries and Allowances: In Brief, by Ida A. Brudnick.
3 Available at https://cha.house.gov/.
4 Available at https://cha.house.gov/.
5 Available at https://ethics.house.gov/sites/ethics.house.gov/files/documents/2008_House_Ethics_Manual.pdf.
6 Information on spending by certain Members was excluded from the observation data and summary findings because
of characteristics related to the district or status or tenure of the Member. Nonvoting Members, including the Delegates
and the Resident Commissioner, have been subject to the same expense formula as other Members since January 1,
1983 (P.L. 97-357, 96 Stat 1711, October 19, 1982), although the distance from D.C., size of population, or both, may
vary greatly from other Members. Members who were not in Congress for all of a calendar year, whether the Member
left Congress prior to the end of the year or entered any time after the beginning of the session, were excluded from the
calculations from that year since spending for any portion may not be reflective of allocations for an uninterrupted year.
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examination of additional Congresses would be required for a more complete picture of
congressional office spending patterns.
Establishment of the MRA
The MRA, which was first authorized in 1996, was preceded by multiple allowances for each
Member covering different categories of spending—including the former clerk hire allowance,
official expenses allowance, and official mail allowance. The establishment of the MRA followed
efforts by the House, dating back to the late 1970s, to move to a system of increased flexibility
and accountability for Member office operations.7
In September 1995, the Committee on House Administration authorized the consolidation of
these allowances.8 Subsequently, in November 1995, the FY1996 Legislative Branch
Appropriations Act combined the separate appropriations for personal office staff, official office
expenses, and mail costs into a single new appropriations heading, “Members’ Representational
Allowances.”9 According to the House Appropriations Committee report on the FY1996 bill, the
consolidation was adopted to simplify Members’ accounting practices and allowed Members to
more easily show savings achieved when they did not spend all of their allowance.10 Subsequent
legislation in 1996 further defined the MRA and made it subject to regulations and adjustments
adopted by the Committee on House Administration.11 Additional provisions included in the
FY2000 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act amended language regarding official mail and
repealed obsolete language and terms.12
Subsequent MRA Legislation
Appropriations Acts: Administrative Provisions Related to
Unexpended Balances and Deficit Reduction
Since the MRA’s establishment, appropriations acts funding the legislative branch have
contained—or continued, in the case of a continuing resolution—a provision requiring unused
amounts remaining in the MRA be used for deficit reduction or to reduce the federal debt.13

This limitation resulted in the following number of Members included in the data: for 2009, 429; 2010, 428; 2011, 430;
2012, 426; 2013, 428; 2014, 430; 2015, 431; 2016, 431; 2017, 426; 2018, 424; 2019, 428; 2020, 425; 2021, 428; and
2022, 422.
7 See, for example, House Administration Committee Orders 35, 38, 39, and 40 (effective May 1, 1983; August 1,
1985; March 15, 1990; and May 8, 1991, respectively). These were reprinted within the notes for 2 U.S.C. 57 in prior
versions of the U.S. Code.
8 Committee Order No. 41, effective September 1, 1995.
9 P.L. 104-53, 109 Stat. 519 (November 19, 1995).
10 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 1996, report to
accompany H.R. 1854, 104th Cong., 1st sess., H.Rept. 104-141, p. 10.
11 P.L. 104-186, 110 Stat. 1719 (August 20, 1996); 2 U.S.C. 5341.
12 P.L. 106-57, 113 Stat. 415 (September 29, 1999).
13 The first few laws with this provision referred to the federal deficit. A budget deficit (or surplus) is calculated based
on total spending of the entire federal government less total revenue collected. Since P.L. 106-57 (September 29, 1999),
these provisions have also referred to the debt, stating any amounts remaining after all payments are made “shall be
deposited in the Treasury and used for deficit reduction (or, if there is no Federal budget deficit after all such payments
have been made, for reducing the Federal debt, in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury considers appropriate).”
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This provision was included in legislative branch appropriations bills reported by the House
Appropriations Committee in FY1999 and since FY2002. In some years prior to consideration of
FY2002 funding, it was added by amendment, including
• H.Amdt. 458 (403-21, Roll no. 415) to H.R. 1854, 104th Congress (Legislative
Branch Appropriations Act, 1996);
• H.Amdt. 1245 (voice vote) to H.R. 3754, 104th Congress (Legislative Branch
Appropriations Act, 1997);
• H.Amdt. 287 (voice vote) to H.R. 2209, 105th Congress (Legislative Branch
Appropriations Act, 1998);
• H.Amdt. 166 (voice vote) to H.R. 1905, 106th Congress (Legislative Branch
Appropriations Act, 2000); and
• H.Amdt. 865 (voice vote) to H.R. 4516, 106th Congress (Legislative Branch
Appropriations Act, 2001).
Other MRA Legislation Introduced
In addition to the appropriations language, numerous bills and resolutions addressing the MRA
have been introduced (for examples, see tables in the Appendix). This legislation has generally
fallen into three major categories:
• Attempts to change the MRA procedure or regulate, prohibit, authorize, disclose,
or encourage the use of funds for a particular purpose.
• Stand-alone legislation that would govern the use of unexpended balances,
including language to require these funds to go toward deficit reduction.
• Bills or resolutions that would limit or change the growth of overall MRA or
adjustment among Members.
MRA-related amendments have also been offered to the legislative branch appropriations bills.
These include
• H.Amdt. 213, which was offered to H.R. 3219, the FY2018 legislative branch
appropriations bill, increasing funding for the Government Accountability Office,
offset by a reduction in the Members’ Representational Allowance, which failed
by voice vote.
• H.Amdt. 214, which was offered to H.R. 3219, the FY2018 legislative branch
appropriations bill, relating to the use of the Members’ Representational
Allowance for Member security, was agreed to by voice vote.
• H.Amdt. 642, which was offered to H.R. 4487, the FY2015 Legislative Branch
Appropriations Act, on May 1, 2014. This amendment, which would have
prohibited the use of the MRA for leased vehicles, excluding mobile district
offices and short-term vehicle rentals, was not agreed to by a recorded vote (Roll
no. 188).

Annual legislative branch appropriations bills with this language include P.L. 104-53, P.L. 104-197, P.L. 105-55, P.L.
105-275, P.L. 106-57, P.L. 106-554, P.L. 107-68, P.L. 108-7, P.L. 108-83, P.L. 108-447, P.L. 109-55, P.L. 110-161,
P.L. 111-8, P.L. 111-68, P.L. 112-74, P.L. 113-6, P.L. 113-76, P.L. 113-235, P.L. 114-113, P.L. 115-31, P.L. 115-141,
P.L. 115-244, P.L. 116-94, P.L. 116-260, P.L. 117-103, and P.L. 117-328 . The two long-term continuing resolutions
(also known as CRs) enacted during this period—P.L. 110-5 and P.L. 112-10—continued this language from prior
years.
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• H.Amdt. 1284, which was offered to H.R. 5882, the FY2013 Legislative Branch
Appropriations Act, on June 8, 2012. This amendment, which would have
prohibited paid advertisements on any internet site other than an official site of
the Member, leadership office, or committee involved, was not agreed to by a
recorded vote (Roll no. 375).
• H.Amdt. 708, which was offered to H.R. 2551, the FY2012 Legislative Branch
Appropriations Act, on July 21, 2011. The amendment, which prohibited the use
of funds to make any payments from any MRA for the leasing of a vehicle in an
amount that exceeds $1,000 in any month, was agreed to by voice vote. This
language was included in P.L. 112-74 and subsequent legislative branch
appropriations acts. H.Amdt. 709 and H.Amdt. 710, which also proposed
restrictions on the MRA, failed by voice vote.
Expenses Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic: Additional
Flexibilities
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, P.L. 116-136, enacted
March 27, 2020) provided additional funding to allow legislative branch entities “to prevent,
prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.” Funding included $25.0
million for the “House of Representatives, Salaries and Expenses.” This account funds all
activities of the House, but it does not fund salaries of Members of Congress.
Although individual MRA levels were not adjusted, Member offices were provided with
additional flexibilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 16, 2020, the Committee on
House Administration (CHA) issued a “Dear Colleague” letter stating that, while ordinary
commuting expenses are not reimbursable, staff experiencing “unique commuting expenses
associated with the coronavirus” could seek reimbursement.14 CHA also “authorized Member and
Committee Offices to use their remaining LY19 funds towards unanticipated expenses for
teleworking equipment, teletownhalls, and supplies. Acceptable purchases include desktop
computers, laptops, tablets, docking stations, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, multi-function
printers (scanner/fax/copier/printer), toner, and cell phones for continuity of operations
(COOP).”15 Offices could also use available legislative year 2020 funds. CHA adopted new
regulations governing House paid interns due to the circumstances of the pandemic, including
allowing funds to be used for interns in district offices, allowing paid interns to telework, and
allowing House offices to issue paid interns House equipment such as laptops or phones.16 Face
masks purchased for official business were also deemed reimbursable.17 Additional telework
support, including technical assistance and training and COOP planning, was also provided by the
House Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the House Sergeant at Arms. In addition, the

14 Dear Colleague letter from the Committee on House Administration, “Update about the coronavirus: commuting
expenses,” March 16, 2020. See also Dear Colleague letters of March 6 and March 11, 2020, and joint guidance from
the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Ethics issued on March 15, 2020.
15 “Use of LY19 Funds for Continuity of Operations Supplies,” March 24, 2020, available to House offices on
HouseNet.
16 Dear Colleague letter from the Committee on House Administration, “Updated House Paid Internship Program
Regulations and Intern Telework Policy,” May 6, 2020, and https://cha.house.gov/member-services/house-paid-
internship-program.
17 Dear Colleague letter from the Chief Administrative Officer, “Availability of Hand Sanitizer and Face Coverings for
Member and Committee Offices,” April 21, 2020.
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CAO “purchased several hundred plexiglass barriers of various types,” and the purchase of
additional barriers by House offices would be considered a reimbursable expense.18
Other Structural Changes
Formula Recalculation in 2023
The 2023 individual MRA formula was revised generally through the adoption of Committee
Resolution 118-13.19 The MRA components continued to be
• a clerk-hire component (revised for 2023 to $1,434,751 for all Members);
• an official expense component (based on one standard component—revised for
2023 to $134,412 for all Members for office expenditures—and two variable
components—calculated based on travel20 and district office rent); and
• an official mail component (based on nonbusiness delivery stops in a
congressional district).
Many of the components of the MRA formula predate the establishment of the MRA in 1995. The
long-standing nature of the formula, as well as efforts to reexamine it, have periodically been
addressed in congressional documents since 1995.
For example, a December 13, 1995, “Dear Colleague” letter issued by the Committee on House
Oversight (the name of the Committee on House Administration during the 104th and 105th
Congresses) stated (in H.Rept. 104-885)21
The formulas are long-standing and were used when Members’ allowances were in distinct
and separate funds, the intention was to produce an equitable allowance for all Members
based on geographical location, and varying population and costs in their districts. This
approach is under review to determine its equity in light of the single MRA fund.
The Committee on House Administration activity report for the 106th Congress (H.Rept. 106-
1056) stated:22
Another significant improvement made by the Committee since 1995, consolidation of the
Members’ office allowances into one Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA),
continued a trend begun under Democrats during the 1970s. The flexibility afforded by a
single MRA has relieved many administrative burdens imposed by the prior scheme of
multiple, discrete office accounts. However, in this area much work remains because the
MRA formula, which has not been modified since 1986, has not kept pace with changes in
the economy and how Members operate their offices. A recent study reconfirmed that
House personal staff earn on average substantially less than comparably educated workers
in the national economy and elsewhere in the federal government, yielding high staff

18 Dear Colleague letter from the Chief Administrative Officer and the Attending Physician, “Guidelines for Modified
Office Occupancy,” June 15, 2020.
19 See “Committee Resolutions,” Committee on House Administration, https://cha.house.gov/committee-resolutions.
20 According to the committee resolution, travel includes a “Variable amount for official travel expenses, including
travel between Washington, D.C., and the district, as well as local official travel within the district and out of district
official travel.”
21 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Oversight, Report on the Activities of the Committee on House Oversight of the
House of Representatives during the 104th Congress, 104th Cong., 2nd sess., January 2, 1997, H.Rept. 104-885, p. 77.
22 U.S. Congress, House Committee on House Administration, Report on the Activities of the Committee on House
Administration of the House of Representatives during the 106th Congress, 106th Cong., 2nd sess., January 2, 2001,
H.Rept. 106-1056, pp. 25-26.
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turnover and low tenure in Members’ offices impairing Members’ ability to achieve their
goals. In addition, high costs of computers and other commodities Members must buy also
compete for the available resources. In the First Session of the 107th Congress, the
Committee should re-examine the MRA formula, and make appropriate adjustments
effective for the Second Session. If Members are to represent their constituents effectively,
they must have adequate resources.
Some years later, the House report to accompany the FY2020 Legislative Branch Appropriations
bill (H.Rept. 116-64) stated:23
Analysis of Members’ Representational Allowances: The Committee believes that the
formula used to calculate the MRA is due for a review and re-examination. For example,
one issue that merits study is whether the MRA adequately supports the cost of district
office rent in districts where there is no Federal office space available for rent and districts
with above-average market rents. The Committee understands that the CAO is conducting
an analysis of the MRA formula and looks forward to the results of that analysis.
Interest in the MRA formula continued, and the House report to accompany the FY2021
Legislative Branch Appropriations bill (H.Rept. 116-447) stated:24
In H.Rept. 116-64, the Committee directed the CAO to produce and submit to the
Committee a report on the adequacy of district office rent allocations in the MRA in
districts where there is no Federal office space available for rent and districts with above-
average market rate rents. The Committee looks forward to receiving this report in a timely
manner.
Allowable Expenses: Most Recent Changes
The Committee on House Administration has sometimes amended language in the Members’
Congressional Handbook governing allowable expenses through the adoption of committee
resolutions. Committee resolutions related to the MRA adopted in the 117th and 118th Congresses
include25
• Committee Resolution 117-14 (relating to Community Funding Projects and the
Wounded Warrior Program26 and House Gold Star Family Fellowship Program),
adopted by committee poll conducted April 22, 2021, through April 26, 2021;
• Committee Resolution 117-22 (relating to the purchase of certain tokens for
constituents, amending regulations related to allowable off-site events, and
allowing for the purchase of “challenge coins”) adopted by a committee poll
conducted June 13, 2022, through June 16, 2022;
• Committee Resolution 117-25 (relating to duty stations for Members of the
House and travel expenses while on official business), adopted by a committee
poll conducted December 23, 2022, through December 27, 2022;
• Committee Resolution 118-15 (amending Committee Resolution 117-25),
adopted by a committee poll conducted on March 31, 2023; and

23 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations, 2020, report to accompany
H.R. 2779, 116th Cong., 1st sess., 2019, H.Rept. 116-64, p. 7.
24 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations, 2021, report to accompany
H.R. 7611, 116th Cong., 2nd sess., 2020, H.Rept. 116-447, p. 7.
25 For resolutions from the 118th Congress, see https://cha.house.gov/committee-resolutions. For resolutions from the
116th and 117th Congresses, see https://democrats-cha.house.gov/committee-activity/committee-resolutions.
26 Renamed the Green and Gold Congressional Aide Program (P.L. 117-103, div. I, title I, §114, Mar. 15, 2022, 136
Stat. 511; 2 U.S.C. §5514).
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• Committee Resolution 118-22 (a resolution to update and modernize the
Members’ Congressional Handbook), adopted unanimously during a full
committee markup on September 28, 2023.
Employees for Congressional Member Organizations
Another structural change in recent years relates to the use of shared staff of Congressional
Member Organizations (CMOs). For additional information, see Committee Resolution 117-8, the
Eligible Congressional Member Organizations Handbook,27 and CRS Report R40683,
Congressional Member Organizations (CMOs) and Informal Member Groups: Their Purpose and
Activities, History, and Formation, by Sarah J. Eckman.
Appropriations and Allocations: Timing Differences
with the Overall Fiscal Year Appropriation and
Individual Member Calendar Year Authorization
Funding is provided on a fiscal year (beginning October 1) basis and a single total amount for all
Members is provided under the appropriations heading, “Members’ Representational
Allowances,” within the House account “Salaries and Expenses” contained in the annual
legislative branch appropriations bills.
Allowance or authorization levels for individual Members of the House are authorized in statute
and are regulated and adjusted by the Committee on House Administration pursuant to 2 U.S.C.
4313 et seq. and House Rule X(1)(j). The individual MRAs for the 441 Members, Delegates, and
the Resident Commissioner are authorized for periods that correspond closely to the sessions of
Congress—from January 3 of each year through January 2 of the following year.28
In addition to the complexity involved in different time frames and split responsibilities—with
the appropriation on a fiscal year determined by the Committee on Appropriations, and the
authorization roughly following the calendar year as allocated by the Committee on House
Administration—the House has indicated that the total authorized level for all MRAs may be
more than the total appropriation due to projections on spend-out rates.
For example, the House Appropriations Committee report accompanying the FY2020 legislative
branch appropriations bill stated that, of the amount recommended, “Almost half of the increase
is needed just to bring the appropriation more in line with currently authorized spending.”29
A discussion of the use of prior spending patterns in the determination of MRA appropriations
levels was included in numerous House reports, particularly in the first few years of the MRA.30
For example, the FY1997 report accompanying the legislative branch appropriations bill stated,

27 Available at “Handbooks and Rules,” Committee on House Administration, https://cha.house.gov/member-services/
handbooks.
28 The delegates represent American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and the District
of Columbia. Puerto Rico is represented by a resident commissioner. For additional information, see CRS Report
R40555, Delegates to the U.S. Congress: History and Current Status, by Jane A. Hudiburg.
29 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 2020, H.Rept. 116-64,
report to accompany H.R. 2779, p. 2.
30 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 1996, H.Rept. 104-
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Many Members do not expend their full allowance. That is why the Committee bill does
not fully fund this account. The frugality of those Members is already projected in the bill
presented by the Committee. Since these prospective savings are already taken in the bill,
they reduce the need for appropriated funds and, therefore, contribute directly to the
reduction in federal spending and consequently lower the projected deficit. If the
Committee bill were to fully fund the Members’ Representational Allowance, the amount
appropriated would have to be increased by $27 million. Thus, the account is underfunded
by almost 7%.31
This difference was also discussed during a hearing on the FY2009 legislative branch
appropriations requests.32
Pursuant to law, late-arriving bills may be paid for up to two years following the end of the MRA
year.33 The permissibility of payment for late-arriving bills does not provide flexibility in the
timing of the obligation, a point emphasized in the Members’ Congressional Handbook, which
states: “all expenses incurred will be charged to the allowance available on the date the services
were provided or the expenses were incurred” and the “MRA is not transferable between years.”34
Fiscal Year Appropriations: Funding History
The MRA is funded in the House “Salaries and Expenses” account in the annual legislative
branch appropriations bills. One single line-item provides funding for all Members’ MRAs.
The FY2010 MRA funding level of $660.0 million was not exceeded until FY2022.

141, report to accompany H.R. 1854, p. 12; U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch
Appropriations Bill, 1998, H.Rept. 105-196, report to accompany H.R. 2209, p. 10; U.S. Congress, House Committee
on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 1999, H.Rept. 105-595, report to accompany H.R. 4112, p.
10; U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 2000, H.Rept. 106-
156, report to accompany H.R. 1905, p. 11; U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch
Appropriations Bill, 2001, H.Rept. 106-635, report to accompany H.R. 4516, p. 11; U.S. Congress, House Committee
on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 2010, H.Rept. 111-160, report to accompany H.R. 2918, p.
8.
31 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 1997, H.Rept. 104-
657, report to accompany H.R. 3754, p. 11.
32 At this hearing, Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard indicated that the appropriation “is usually 92 or 93 percent
of the authorization.” U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch,
Legislative Branch Appropriations for 2009, hearings, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., April 9, 2008, pp. 518-519, 528-529.
33 The two-year period for late receipts for Congress is shorter relative to annual appropriations for much of the rest of
the federal government, which is subject to a five-year period (31 U.S.C. §1551 et al.). This is discussed in the
Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. This publication states: “For appropriations of the House and Senate,
unobligated balances more than two years old cannot be used short of an act of Congress. Instead, obligations
chargeable to appropriations that have been expired for more than 2 years ‘shall be liquidated from any appropriations
for the same general purpose, which, at the time of payment, are available for disbursement.’ 2 U.S.C. §102a.” United
States General Accounting Office, Principles of Federal Appropriations Law, Third Edition, vol. I, January 2004,
http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/3rdEditionVol1.pdf, pp. 5-76 – 5-77. Chapter 5 (“Availability of Appropriations:
Time”) also has a section on the “Evolution of the Law” related to the treatment of unexpended balances. Another
section in this chapter, on “Closed Appropriation Accounts” contains the following footnote on Treasury operations
and the treatment of closed appropriations: “We commonly talk about “returning” appropriation balances to the
Treasury. In point of fact, for the most part, they never leave the Treasury to begin with. An appropriation does not
represent cash actually set aside in the Treasury. Government obligations are liquidated as needed through revenues
and borrowing. Thus, the reversion of funds to the Treasury is not a movement of actual cash, but a bookkeeping
adjustment that in the various ways discussed in the text, affects the government’s legal authority to incur obligations
and make expenditures.”
34 The Members’ Handbook, available at https://cha.house.gov/.
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The FY2010 level was subsequently reduced to $613.1 million in FY2011 (-7.1%), and then to
$573.9 million in FY2012 (-6.4%). The FY2012 funding level was continued in the FY2013
continuing resolution (P.L. 113-6), not including a 5.2% sequestration (i.e., an across-the-board
rescission of nonexempt spending). The FY2014 level of $554.3 million was continued in the
FY2015 act (P.L. 113-235) and the FY2016 act (P.L. 114-113).
At an April 20, 2016, markup of the FY2017 bill, the House Appropriations Committee
Legislative Branch Subcommittee recommended a continuation of this level. At the May 17,
2016, full committee markup, an amendment offered by Representative Farr to increase this level
by $8.3 million, to $562.6 million (+1.5%), was agreed to. This level was included in the House-
passed FY2017 bill (H.R. 5325). H.R. 5325 was not enacted, however, this increase was provided
in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31), which was enacted on May 5, 2017.
The FY2017 level was continued for FY2018. The FY2019 level of $573.6 million represented an
increase of $10.998 million (+2.0%). The FY2020 law (P.L. 116-94) provided $615.0 million, an
increase of $41.4 million (+7.2%). The FY2021 law (P.L. 116-260) provided $640.0 million
(+4.1%). The FY2022 law (P.L. 117-103) provided $774.4 million (+21.0%).
The FY2023 act (P.L. 117-328) provides $810.0 million (+4.6%), a level continued in the House’s
FY2024 request and the House-reported bill (H.R. 4364, H.Rept. 118-120).
Table 1 provides the appropriation for the overall MRA account for all Members from FY1996
through FY2023. Figure 1 shows the same information in current and constant (2023) dollars.
Table 1. MRA Appropriations: FY1996-FY2023
(in thousands of current dollars)
Fiscal
Year
$
Fiscal Year
$
Fiscal Year
$
Fiscal Year
$
1996
360,503
2003
476,536
2010
660,000
2017
562,632
1997
363,313
2004
514,454
2011
613,052
2018
562,632
1998
379,789
2005
538,655
2012
573,939
2019
573,630
1999
385,279
2006
534,109
2013
543,919
2020
615,000
2000
406,279
2007
554,716
2014
554,318
2021
640,000
2001
420,182
2008
579,548
2015
554,318
2022
774,400
2002
475,422
2009
609,000
2016
554,318
2023
810,000
Source: Annual and supplemental appropriations conference reports, acts, and committee prints.
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Figure 1. MRA Funding: Current and Constant Dollars
(FY1996-FY2023)

Source: CRS calculations based upon annual legislative branch appropriations acts, including supplemental
appropriations and rescissions. Constant (2023) dol ars based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban
Consumers (CPI-U, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Figure 2 shows that the MRA is the largest category of appropriations within the House of
Representatives, regularly comprising approximately 43%-53% of House appropriations. The
MRA appropriation does not include certain benefits—including any government contributions
toward health and life insurance and retirement, which are paid through another House account.
Figure 2. MRA Funding Compared to Overall House Appropriations
Current Dollars

Source: CRS calculations based upon annual legislative branch appropriations acts, including supplemental
appropriations and rescissions.
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Establishment of a Separate Account for Paid Interns in FY2019
Prior to FY2019, any payments for interns in House Member offices were derived from the
MRA. In FY2019, an administrative provision in the legislative branch appropriations act (P.L.
115-244) established a separate allowance for interns in Member offices.
In the initial year, $8.8 million was provided for paid interns. In FY2020, $11.0 million was
provided; in FY2021, $11.0 million; in FY2022, $15.4 million; and in FY2023, $20.6 million.
The FY2024 House-reported bill (H.R. 4364) would continue the FY2023 enacted level.
Individual MRAs for Members: Formula and
Authorized Levels Since 1996
The MRA for each Member is set by the Committee on House Administration based on three
components: personnel, official office expenses, and official (franked) mail. The personnel
allowance component is the same for each Member. The office expenses and mail allowances
components vary from Member to Member. The office expense component includes a base
amount; a mileage allowance, which is calculated based on the distance between a Member’s
district and Washington, DC; and an office space allowance, which is based on the cost of office
space in a Member’s district. The official mail component is calculated based on the number of
nonbusiness addresses in a Member’s district. The three components result in a single MRA
authorization for each Representative that can be used to pay for official expenses.
Table 2 demonstrates the variation in authorization levels that resulted from this formula since
1996. Figure 3 presents this information graphically.
The average 2022 individual authorization represented the first authorization to exceed the 2010
level in current (non-inflation adjusted) dollars.
Additional information on actions taken to adjust the annual individual allowances follows.
Table 2. Variation in Individual MRA Authorization Levels: 1996-2023
(current dollars)
Average
Lower Quartile
Median
Upper Quartile
Year Minimum
(Mean)
Maximum (25th Percentile) (50th Percentile) (75th Percentile)
1996
$824,671
$886,751
$1,026,976
$865,420
$881,682
$902,167
1997
$836,231
$901,165
$1,038,535
$879,620
$896,606
$918,490
1998
$854,904
$919,396
$1,056,176
$897,967
$914,672
$936,395
1999
$885,424
$952,102
$1,088,405
$930,137
$947,661
$967,940
2000
$914,895
$985,831
$1,122,018
$962,571
$981,204
$1,001,807
2001
$1,009,420
$1,081,069
$1,216,831
$1,057,403
$1,076,568
$1,097,123
2002
$1,043,283
$1,114,319
$1,258,737
$1,089,931
$1,109,598
$1,130,975
2003
$1,116,519
$1,191,527
$1,338,831
$1,166,075
$1,186,107
$1,212,784
2004
$1,152,825
$1,234,976
$1,370,805
$1,206,116
$1,228,892
$1,258,233
2005
$1,188,715
$1,286,784
$1,524,617
$1,253,938
$1,278,424
$1,310,388
2006
$1,218,685
$1,335,086
$1,574,753
$1,301,692
$1,326,374
$1,360,650
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Average
Lower Quartile
Median
Upper Quartile
Year Minimum
(Mean)
Maximum (25th Percentile) (50th Percentile) (75th Percentile)
2007
$1,262,065
$1,356,251
$1,600,539
$1,322,060
$1,346,203
$1,383,810
2008
$1,299,292
$1,393,391
$1,637,766
$1,359,350
$1,383,430
$1,420,454
2009
$1,391,370
$1,484,174
$1,722,242
$1,451,041
$1,475,849
$1,510,755
2010
$1,428,395
$1,522,114
$1,759,575
$1,488,258
$1,513,947
$1,549,464
2011
$1,356,975
$1,446,009
$1,671,596
$1,413,845
$1,438,250
$1,471,991
2012
$1,270,129
$1,353,205
$1,564,613
$1,323,334
$1,345,972
$1,377,773
2013
$1,183,717
$1,243,560
$1,356,445
$1,226,726
$1,240,212
$1,257,959
2014
$1,195,554
$1,255,909
$1,370,009
$1,239,263
$1,252,531
$1,270,493
2015
$1,195,554
$1,255,960
$1,370,009
$1,239,165
$1,252,531
$1,270,516
2016
$1,207,510
$1,268,520
$1,383,709
$1,251,557
$1,265,056
$1,283,221
2017a $1,251,177
$1,315,523
$1,433,709
$1,298,423
$1,311,873
$1,329,280
2018
$1,307,510
$1,368,520
$1,483,709
$1,351,457
$1,365,056
$1,383,243
2019
$1,320,585
$1,382,329
$1,498,546
$1,365,073
$1,378,707
$1,397,053
2020
$1,382,835
$1,444,579
$1,560,796
$1,427,323
$1,440,957
$1,459,303
2021
$1,447,835
$1,509,219
$1,625,796
$1,492,110
$1,505,847
$1,524,314
2022
$1,751,880
$1,826,590
$1,967,213
$1,805,711
$1,822,208
$1,844,406
2023
$1,849,149
$1,928,100
$2,088,499
$1,904,201
$1,920,850
$1,948,042
Source: CRS calculations based on the Statements of Disbursements for 1996-2023 (in current dol ars). The
Member allowances are available from January 3 through January 2 of the fol owing year.
Notes: The calculations exclude nonvoting Members, including Delegates and the Resident Commissioner.
Members elected by special election and sworn in during the quarter are also excluded since the allowance level
may be prorated.
a. Levels represent the initial 2017 authorizations and do not include the increase of $25,000 for each
authorization provided by H.Res. 411, which was agreed to on June 27, 2017.
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Figure 3. MRA Allowances by Member: Maximum, Minimum, and Mean
(current dollars, 1996-2023)

Source: CRS calculations based on the Statements of Disbursements including expenses for 1996-2023 (in current
dol ars). The Member allowances are available from January 3 through January 2 of the fol owing year.
Notes: The calculations exclude nonvoting Members, including Delegates and the Resident Commissioner.
Members elected by special election and sworn in after the start of the session also excluded since their
allowance level may be prorated.
112th Congress: Resolution Reducing Individual Authorizations
In the 112th Congress (2011-2012), the House agreed to H.Res. 22, which reduced the amount
authorized for salaries and expenses of Member, committee, and leadership offices in 2011 and
2012. This resolution, agreed to on January 6, 2011, stated that the MRA allowances for these
years may not exceed 95% of the amount established for 2010. Individual MRAs, which reflect
authorized levels from January 3 of each year through January 2 of the following year,
subsequently were reduced, resulting in a total reduction of 11.08% from 2010 to 2012.35
113th Congress: Multiple Influences on Individual Authorized Levels
Individual authorization levels for 2013 (January 3, 2013-January 2, 2014), which were affected
by both redistricting36 and sequestration,37 were reduced by a total of 8.2% according to the

35 The Statement contains the following: “The total amount of each Member’s 2012 Representational Allowance is
88.92% of the amount authorized in 2010. This is in accordance with a 5% reduction to the 2010 authorization
mandated in House Resolution 22, agreed to on January 6, 2011, and a 6.4% reduction to the 2011 authorization as
reflected in H.R. 2055, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74).” U.S. Congress, House, Statement of
Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer, from October 1, 2012, to December 31,
2012, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 112-160, 112th Cong., 2nd sess., p. 2409.
36 The individual authorizations correspond to the legislative year (January 3-January 2), while appropriations
correspond to the fiscal year (beginning October 1). The 2013 authorization was the first to follow redistricting after the
2010 census and 2012 election cycle. Since the variables in the MRA formula—including distance from DC, the cost of
office space, and the number of nonbusiness addresses—account for district characteristics, the individual MRA may
vary following redistricting.
37 Pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25), as amended by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
(P.L. 112-240), a sequestration order was issued on March 1, 2013 (White House, President Obama, Sequestration
Order for Fiscal Year 2013 Pursuant to Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, As
Amended, March 1, 2013, available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-201300132/pdf/DCPD-
201300132.pdf).
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Statement of Disbursements.38 For legislative year 2014 (January 3, 2014-January 2, 2015), each
Member’s MRA increased by 1.0%.39
Subsequent Years
The FY2015 MRA appropriations level remained unchanged from FY2014, and Members’
individual allowances were continued from legislative year 2014 to 2015.40
The FY2016 MRA appropriations level remained unchanged from FY2014 and FY2015, although
Members’ individual allowances for legislative year 2016 were increased by 1.0%.41
The FY2017 MRA appropriations level increased by 1.5% from FY2016. According to the
Statement of Disbursements, each Member’s authorization for 2017 was increased “by
approximately 3.9% of the average MRA.”42 This resulted in an average increase of
approximately $47,000.
A shooting on June 14, 2017, at a practice for the Congressional Baseball Game, which wounded
one Member of Congress, two U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers, and two members of the
public in Alexandria, VA, had an impact on consideration of MRA funding for FY2018.
The report accompanying the legislative branch appropriations bill (H.R. 3162), in addition to
addressing funding for the Capitol Police and the House Sergeant at Arms, indicated that the
Appropriations “Committee has provided resources necessary to support the Committee on House
Administration’s plan to increase Member’s Representational Allowance (MRA) by $25,000 per
account this year for the purpose of providing Member security when away from the Capitol
complex.”43
The House approved the MRA authorization increases when it agreed to H.Res. 411, by
unanimous consent, on June 27, 2017.

38 The Statement contained the following: “Because the House is operating under a continuing resolution at FY 2012
levels, the total amount of funds available for MRAs remains unchanged.* However, to account for redistricting and
other factors, individual MRAs have been recalculated using the sum of the following components adjusted
proportionally to ensure the total is consistent with 2012 funding levels.... *This amount was reduced on March 4,
2013, by 8.2% to comply with sequestration orders issued pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011.” U.S. Congress,
House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer, from April 1, 2013,
to June 30, 2013, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 113-41, 113th Cong., 1st sess., p. 2597.
39 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from April 1, 2014, to June 30, 2014, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 113-141, 113th Cong., 2nd sess., p. 2559.
40 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from January 1, 2015, to March 31, 2015, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 114-29, 114th Cong., 1st sess., p. 2854.
41 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from January 1, 2016, to March 31, 2016, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 114-120, 114th Cong., 2nd sess., p. 2861. For information
on the relationship between the appropriations and allocations, see the section on “Appropriations Acts: Administrative
Provisions Related to Unexpended Balances and Deficit Reduction.”
42 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from April 1, 2017, to June 30, 2017, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 115-52, 115th Cong., 1st sess., p. 2664.
43 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Legislative Branch, Legislative Branch,
2018, report to accompany H.R. 3162, 115th Cong., 1st sess., July 6, 2017, H.Rept. 115-199, p. 3. See also the
Members’ Congressional Handbook, https://cha.house.gov.
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As stated above, during consideration in the House of the FY2018 legislative branch
appropriations bill (H.R. 3219)44 on July 26, 2017, two amendments related to the MRA were
offered: H.Amdt. 214 was agreed to by voice vote, and H.Amdt. 213 failed by voice vote.
Subsequently, on July 28, 2017, House Sergeant at Arms Paul D. Irving issued a “Dear
Colleague” letter announcing that his office “will assume the cost of and oversee future District
Office security upgrades, maintenance, and monthly monitoring fees.”45 These upgrades were
previously supported through the MRA.
On August 15, 2017, the Committee on House Administration issued a “Dear Colleague” letter
announcing updates to the Members’ Congressional Handbook incorporating these and other
changes.46 The MRA remains available for security measures necessitated by official duties as
discussed in the letter and the Handbook.
The FY2018 act continued the FY2017 level of $562.6 million. According to the Statement of
Disbursements, the “Members’ Representational Allowance for 2018 utilizes each Member’s
2017 amount and increases that amount by $25,000.”47
The FY2019 act provided $573.6 million (+2.0%). According to the Statement of Disbursements,
Members’ individual allowances for legislative year 2019 were increased by 1.0%.48
The FY2020 law (P.L. 116-94) provided $615.0 million, an increase of $41.4 million (+7.2%).
According to the Statement of Disbursements, Members’ individual allowances for legislative
year 2020 were increased by $62,250.49
The FY2021 law (P.L. 116-260) provided $640.0 million (+4.1%). According to the Statement of
Disbursements, Members’ individual allowances for legislative year 2021 were increased by
$65,000.50
The FY2022 law (P.L. 117-103) provided $774.4 million (+21.0%). According to the Statement of
Disbursements, Members’ individual allowances for legislative year 2022 also increased by
21.0%.51
The FY2023 law (P.L. 117-328) provides $810.0 million (+4.6%). The 2023 individual MRA
formula was revised generally through the adoption of Committee Resolution 118-13. According
to the Statement of Disbursements, the formula continued to account for a clerk-hire component,

44 On July 18, the text of H.R. 3162 was included in a print issued by the House Rules Committee entitled, “Text of the
Defense, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, and Energy And Water Development National
Security Appropriations Act, 2018” (Committee Print 115-30, which also contains the text of H.R. 3219, H.R. 2998,
and H.R. 3266). Subsequently, the House agreed on September 14 to H.Res. 500, which included the text of Rules
Committee Print 115-31, as amended, in an amendment in the nature of a substitute for H.R. 3354. The text of the
legislative branch bill, as agreed to in H.R. 3219, was unchanged. H.R. 3354, which then included text for all 12
appropriations bills, was agreed to in the House on September 14, 2017.
45 Available to House offices at https://e-dearcolleague.house.gov/.
46 The updated Handbook is available at https://cha.house.gov/.
47 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from July 1, 2018, to September 30, 2018, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 115-161, 115th Cong., 2nd sess., p. 2523.
48 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from January 1, 2019, to March 31, 2019, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 116-26, 116th Cong., 1st sess., p. 2981.
49 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from January 1, 2020, to March 31, 2020, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 116-116, 116th Cong., 2nd sess., p. 3399.
50 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from April 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 117-48, 117th Cong., 1st sess., p. 2657.
51 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from April 1, 2022, to June 30, 2022, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 117-130, 117th Cong., 2nd sess., p. 3085.
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an official expense component (office, travel, and district office rent components), and an official
mail component.52
Guidelines, Operations, and Sources of Regulations
Expenses related to official and representational duties are reimbursable under the MRA in
accordance with the regulations contained in the Members’ Congressional Handbook.
The Handbook, for example, states that a
Member is personally responsible for the payment of any official and representational
expenses incurred that exceed the provided MRA or that are incurred but are not
reimbursable under these regulations.53
Certain expenses, including personal expenses, alcoholic beverages, and gifts and donations other
than those specified, are also not reimbursable. The MRA is not transferable between years, and
unspent funds from one year cannot be obligated in any subsequent year.
Other limitations on the use of official funds are also contained in House Rule XXIV.
“Dear Colleague” Letters Related to the MRA
“Dear Colleague” letters—which are distributed among Members, committees, and officers—
frequently mention the MRA. These “Dear Colleague” letters have announced changes in the
dissemination of information or the processing of vouchers, elaborated on procedures, reminded
Members and staff of guidelines on the use of funds, and asked for support for MRA legislation.
The Committee on House Administration, for example, has distributed regular annual “Dear
Colleagues” announcing or explaining regulations, such as those pertaining to end-of-year
expenses, district office space, and travel.54 Other letters have been issued regarding allowable
franking and MRA expenses for the annual Congressional Art Competition or travel for a
Member’s funeral service, as well as reminders of prohibited expenses.55 The letters have
explained the implication of new regulations, rulings, or decisions on MRA spending.56 They also

52 U.S. Congress, House, Statement of Disbursements of the House, as compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer,
from January 1, 2023, to March 31, 2023, part 3 of 3, H.Doc. 118-27, 118th Cong., 1st sess., p. 3535. See also
Committee on House Administration, committee resolutions, https://cha.house.gov/committee-activity/committee-
resolutions-118.
53 The Members’ Handbook is available at https://cha.house.gov/.
54 For example, recent Dear Colleague letters issued by the Committee on House Administration have included “End-
of-Year Expenses: Policies and Best Practices,” November 15, 2021; “End-of-Year Expenses: Policies and Best
Practices,” December 6, 2018; and “Updates to the Members’ and Committees’ Congressional Handbooks,” March 5,
2018.
55 For example, Dear Colleague letter from the Sergeant at Arms related to travel for the funeral of a deceased Member
of Congress, March 19, 2018; Dear Colleague letter from the Committee on House Administration, “2018 Conference
and Caucus Retreats,” January 8, 2018; “Non-Commercial Aircraft Travel,” April 10, 2019; and “Joint House
Administration-Ethics Guidance Regarding Redistricting,” September 10, 2021.
56 For example, Dear Colleague letters issued by the Committee on House Administration have included, “Using Your
MRA for District Office Security Assessments and Upgrades,” January 18, 2011; “Automated Calls to Mobile
Devices,” July 26, 2016; “Availability of Hand Sanitizer and Face Coverings for Member and Committee Offices,”
April 21, 2020; and “Updates to regulations issued by House Administration,” June 23, 2022.
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have summarized changes to the Statement of Disbursements and announced the publication of
new quarterly information.57
Categories of Spending
House spending is categorized by the standard budget object classes used for the federal
government.58 These may include
• personnel compensation;
• travel;
• rent, communications, and utilities;
• printing and reproduction;
• other services;
• supplies and materials;59
• transportation of things; and
• equipment.
The disbursement volumes also contain a category for franked mail.
Certain costs are not included in the MRA and will not be reflected in these totals. The costs
include the salaries of Members60 and certain benefits—including any government contributions
toward health and life insurance and retirement—for both Members and staff. Additionally, the
range of items that may be covered by an office has changed over time.61 The MRA also does not
reflect spending by House officers and legislative branch agencies in support of Member offices.
Statements of Disbursements: Online Publication
and CSV Availability
The Statements of Disbursements are published as House documents and were historically
available in bound volumes. Beginning with the disbursements for the quarter ending September
30, 2009, the Statements have been posted on the House of Representatives website, House.gov.62

57 For example, Dear Colleague Letter from the CAO [Chief Administrative Officer] of the House, “Increased
Transparency in Statement of Disbursements,” August 18, 2011; Dear Colleague Letter from the CAO of the House,
“Statement of Disbursements to Publish Merchant Information for Purchase Card Transactions,” CAO of the House,
June 22, 2012; and Dear Colleague Letter from the CAO of the House, “First Quarter 2019 Statement of
Disbursements,” May 28, 2019.
58 This classification system is based on U.S. Office of Management and Budget, OMB Circular A-11, 2022 edition,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/circulars/.
59 This may include, for example, office supplies, bottled water, and publication/reference material.
60 Member pay is included in a permanent appropriation (P.L. 97-51; 95 Stat. 966; September 11, 1981).
61 For example, in a “Dear Colleague” letter of April 20, 2009, the Committee on House Administration announced that
effective June 1, 2009, the transit benefit program would be administered centrally and available to all qualifying
House employees. Previously, Members could determine whether or not to provide the transit benefit to their
employees from the MRA, and those who offered this benefit would record the expenditure under the personnel
benefits category. For another example, certain security-related costs, including “the cost of ... District Office security
upgrades, maintenance, and monthly monitoring fees,” is now supported by the House Sergeant at Arms (“Dear
Colleague” letter of July 28, 2017, issued by House Sergeant at Arms Paul D. Irving).
62 The Statements of Disbursements are available at https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/open-government/
statement-of-disbursements.
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Beginning with disbursements covering January-March 2016, this website provides SOD
information in a sortable CSV (comma-separated values) format.
The MRA in Historical Practice: An Analysis of
Spending in Selected Years
This section examines the use of the MRA in practice in recent years.
Methodology
Disbursement information for each authorization year may appear in Statements for 12 quarters,
since, as discussed above, late-arriving bills may be paid for up to two years following the end of
the MRA year (although unspent funds from one year cannot be obligated in any subsequent
year). For example, while Members could only obligate 2021 MRA expenditures from January 3,
2021, until January 2, 2022, late-arriving receipts can be paid through the quarter ending
December 31, 2023. While some bills, particularly from outside vendors, may be settled up to
eight quarters after the end of the MRA year, the vast majority of billing occurs during the session
or in the quarter immediately following the close of the MRA year. Billing for some categories—
like personnel compensation—is almost entirely within the disbursements for the calendar year of
study.63 By examining volumes from subsequent quarters, in addition to those from the
authorization year, it is possible to provide a more complete picture of spending patterns.
Analysis
Numerous characteristics of individual congressional districts or Member preferences can
influence spending priorities, which is reflected in the flexibility provided to Members in
establishing and running their offices.64 Despite some variations, the data, however, show a
relative consistency in the overall allocation of MRA resources by category of spending both
across Members and over time.65
Table 3 provides a distributional analysis of office-level data for certain categories of spending,
while Figure 4 demonstrates aggregate House spending in these years.
The office-level and aggregate data indicate that personnel compensation is by far the largest
category of expense for Member offices, and it increased as a percentage of spending over this
time period. Spending on travel and “Rent, Communications, and Utilities” remained relatively
stable, while spending on franked mail decreased for the average and median Members and for
the House overall.

63 Since the MRA is available through January 2, but the Statements for the fourth quarter cover obligations through
December 31, personnel compensation for January 1 and January 2 in an MRA year will usually appear in the volume
for the subsequent calendar year (January 1-March 31), under a heading indicating that it is billed to the previous MRA
year. For this report, at least 8 quarters of data were examined for each year, with the exception of 2022, which is based
on 5 quarters of data.
64 These may include, for example, the cost-of-living in the districts from which Members are elected; actual
transportation costs to and from the district or around the district; geographical size of the district; number of people
living in the district; or other characteristics of a district that may influence spending patterns, including varying
expectations among constituents for different levels or types of contact.
65 See also information on average expenditures for FY2013 provided for the record during the House Appropriations
Committee FY2015 hearings (U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Legislative
Branch, Legislative Branch Appropriations for 2015, hearings, 113th Cong., 2nd sess., March 6, 2014, pp. 292-293).
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Table 4 shows spending as a proportion of the total individual authorization.
Table 3. Distribution of Office-Level Spending on Select Categories: 2009-2022
(percentage of total expenditure in the individual MRA)
Lower
Upper
Category of
Ave. %
Quartile
Median
Quartile
Expense
Year
Min %
(Mean)
Max %
(25th%)
(50th%)
(75th%)
2009
0
4
15
1
4
7
2010
0
4
16
2
4
6
2011
0
3
13
1
3
5
2012
0
3
14
1
2
5
Franked Mail
2013
0
2
14
0
1
3
2014
0
2
12
0
1
4
2015
0
2
16
0
1
4
2016
0
2
19
0
1
4
2017
0
2
12
0
1
3

2018
0
3
13
0
2
4

2019
0
2
12
0
1
3

2020
0
3
19
0
2
4

2021
0
2
15
0
2
3

2022
0
3
20
0
2
5
2009
48
69
86
65
70
75
2010
53
71
88
65
71
76
2011
45
71
89
66
71
76
2012
54
75
91
71
75
80
Personnel
Compensation
2013
56
75
88
70
76
79
2014
56
76
88
72
77
80
2015
46
75
88
71
75
79
2016
47
77
90
73
77
81
2017
53
74
89
71
75
79

2018
53
77
90
72
77
82

2019
54
74
88
70
74
79

2020
56
78
97
74
79
84

2021
49
74
89
69
74
79

2022
42
77
95
71
78
84
2009
0
4
11
3
4
6
2010
0
4
15
3
4
5
Travel
2011
0
4
11
3
4
6
2012
0
4
12
2
4
5
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Lower
Upper
Category of
Ave. %
Quartile
Median
Quartile
Expense
Year
Min %
(Mean)
Max %
(25th%)
(50th%)
(75th%)

2021
0
1
7
1
1
2

2022
0
1
7
0
1
2
Printing and
2009
0
5
23
1
4
7
Reproduction
2010
0
4
14
1
3
6

2011
0
4
15
1
3
6

2012
0
3
18
0
3
5

2013
0
3
16
0
2
4

2014
0
3
14
0
2
4

2015
0
3
23
0
2
4

2016
0
2
24
0
2
4

2017
0
3
17
0
2
4

2018
0
3
23
0
2
5

2019
0
3
22
0
2
5

2020
0
4
21
0
3
6

2021
0
4
19
1
2
5

2022
0
6
34
1
5
8
Supplies and
2009
1
3
9
3
3
4
Materials
2010
0
3
11
2
3
4

2011
1
3
10
2
3
4

2012
0
3
10
1
2
3

2013
0
2
8
1
2
3

2014
0
2
8
1
2
3

2015
0
2
7
1
2
3

2016
0
3
9
2
2
3

2017
0
2
9
1
2
3

2018
0
2
9
1
2
3

2019
0
2
6
1
2
3

2020
0
3
7
2
2
3

2021
0
2
6
1
2
2

2022
0
3
15
2
3
4
Other Services
2009
1
4
11
3
4
5

2010
0
4
10
3
4
5

2011
2
5
13
4
5
6

2012
1
3
9
2
3
3

2013
2
4
9
3
4
6

2014
2
3
8
2
3
4
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Lower
Upper
Category of
Ave. %
Quartile
Median
Quartile
Expense
Year
Min %
(Mean)
Max %
(25th%)
(50th%)
(75th%)

2015
1
4
8
3
4
5

2016
1
3
8
2
3
4

2017
1
4
9
3
4
6

2018
1
3
12
2
2
3

2019
2
5
11
3
4
6

2020
0
2
8
1
2
3

2021
2
5
12
3
5
6

2022
0
2
20
0
1
2
Source: CRS calculations based on the Statement of Disbursements covering expenditures for 2009-2022.
Notes: Data exclude nonvoting Members, including the Delegates and Resident Commissioner. Members who
were not in Congress for the entirety of the MRA year were also excluded, since spending for any portion may
not be reflective of expenditures in an uninterrupted year.
Figure 4. Expenditures by Category, as a Percentage of Aggregate MRA Spending

Source: CRS calculations based on the Statements of Disbursements.
Notes: This figure only represents spending supported by the MRA. For example, this figure does not include
government contributions for employee benefits (which are paid through another House account), Member
salaries, the cost of DC office space, and various services provided by House support offices or legislative branch
agencies. It also does not include categories of spending that occasionally appear in the Statements of
Disbursements, but generally account for less than 0.00% of spending each year (e.g., “transportation of things”).
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Data exclude nonvoting Members, including the Delegates and Resident Commissioner. Members who were not
in Congress for the entirety of the MRA year were also excluded.
Table 4. Spending as a Percentage of Authorization: 2009-2022
(based on Members who served the entire year)

Percent of Members
Percent Spent
Year <70% ≥70-<75 ≥75-<80 ≥80-<85 ≥85-<90 ≥90-<95 ≥95-<99
≥99%
Mean
Median
2009
0.5%
0.5%
1.4%
5.6%
13.8%
28.7%
35.4%
14.2%
93.7%
94.9%
2010
0.2%
0.7%
2.6%
4.9%
13.1%
20.1%
37.1%
21.3%
94.2%
96.0%
2011
0.7%
0.2%
1.9%
5.8%
12.8%
24.0%
34.7%
20.0%
94.0%
95.6%
2012
0.2%
0.7%
1.6%
3.1%
11.3%
21.6%
38.0%
23.5%
94.8%
96.8%
2013
0.2%
0.0%
0.7%
1.4%
4.4%
17.8%
40.9%
34.6%
96.5%
98.1%
2014
0.5%
0.2%
0.0%
3.5%
7.0%
21.4%
41.4%
26.0%
95.6%
97.2%
2015
0.5%
0.0%
0.2%
0.5%
5.6%
17.2%
45.7%
30.4%
96.5%
98.0%
2016
0.2%
0.0%
0.5%
3.2%
9.5%
18.1%
42.5%
26.0%
95.5%
97.2%
2017
0.5%
0.0%
1.2%
4.0%
9.4%
25.8%
43.4%
15.7%
94.7%
96.2%
2018
0.7%
0.5%
1.9%
4.7%
10.1%
22.4%
42.7%
17.0%
94.3%
96.3%
2019
0.0%
0.2%
0.7%
2.1%
6.5%
16.1%
59.1%
15.2%
96.0%
97.4%
2020
0.7%
1.6%
4.9%
7.1%
10.1%
23.3%
42.8%
9.4%
92.9%
95.4%
2021
0.0%
0.0%
0.9%
3.0%
7.0%
18.5%
50.0%
20.6%
95.7%
97.4%
2022
2.8%
3.3%
6.6%
11.4%
14.7%
23.2%
32.2%
5.7%
90.2%
93.0%
Source: CRS calculations based on the Statement of Disbursements covering expenditures for 2009-2022.
Notes: Data exclude nonvoting Members, including the Delegates and Resident Commissioner. Members who
were not in Congress for the entirety of the MRA year were also excluded, since spending for any portion may
not be reflective of expenditures in an uninterrupted year.
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Appendix. Examples of Legislation Introduced
Affecting the MRA by Type
Table A-1. Examples of Legislation Introduced to Regulate, Prohibit, Authorize,
Disclose, or Encourage the Use of the MRA for a Particular Purpose
Legislation by Congress
118th Congress
•
H.Res. 5, Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, and
for other purposes;
•
H.Res. 552, Transparency in Taxpayer-Funded Travel Act;
•
H.R. 562, Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2023; and
•
H.R. 3003, Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act.
117th Congress
•
H.Res. 8, Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress,
and for other purposes (related to Congressional Member Organizations);
•
H.Res. 56, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the amount of the Members’
Representational Allowance should be increased in response to increasing threats against Members of the
House;
•
H.Res. 73, Providing the Sergeant-at-Arms with the authority to fine Members, Delegates, or the Resident
Commissioner for failure to complete security screening for entrance to the House Chamber, and for other
purposes;
•
H.Res. 1211, Transparency in Taxpayer-Funded Travel Act;
•
H.Res. 1331, Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization Resolution of
2022;
•
H.R. 1078, Prohibiting Perks and Privileges Act;
•
H.Res. 1026, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that any Member of the House who
makes a public statement advocating for defunding the police should not be permitted to use Federal funds to
contract with a private entity for security personnel support, and for other purposes;
•
H.R. 4471, Improving Veterans Access to Congressional Services Act of 2021; and
•
H.R. 7943, To permit Members of the House of Representatives to use the Members' Representational
Allowance to continue to provide services for casework projects on behalf of former constituents who no
longer reside in the Member's congressional district as the result of congressional redistricting.
116th Congress
•
H.Res. 6, Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, and
for other purposes (related to Congressional Member Organizations);
•
H.Res. 530, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the amount of the Members’
Representational Allowance should be increased in response to increasing threats against Members of the
House;
•
H.Res. 756, Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization Resolution;
•
H.R. 577, Prohibiting Perks and Privileges Act;
•
H.R. 1626, To prevent the enrichment of certain Government officers and employees or their families
through Federal funds or contracting, and for other purposes;
•
H.R. 2370, House Intern Pay Act of 2019; and
•
H.R. 7251, Proxy Vote Windfall Prohibition Act.
115th Congress
•
H.Res. 5, Adopting rules for the One Hundred Fifteenth Congress;
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Legislation by Congress
•
H.Res. 411, Adjusting the amount of the Members’ Representational Allowance;
•
H.Res. 642, Prohibiting the use of the Members’ Representational Allowance of a Member of the House of
Representatives to pay awards, settlements, or other compensation in connection with allegations of sexual
harassment or sexual misconduct by the Member or the employees of the Member’s office, and for other
purposes;
•
H.Res. 724, Requiring each employing office of the House of Representatives to adopt an anti-harassment and
anti-discrimination policy for the office's workplace, establishing the Office of Employee Advocacy to provide
legal assistance and consultation to employees of the House regarding procedures and proceedings under the
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, and for other purposes;
•
H.R. 839, Public Service Spending Integrity Act;
•
H.R. 2951, To allow Members of Congress to carry a concealed handgun anywhere in the United States, with
exceptions;
•
H.R. 4497, To amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to prohibit the use of public funds to pay
settlements and awards for workplace harassment and discrimination claims under the Congressional
Accountability Act of 1995 which arise from acts committed personally by Members of Congress, and for
other purposes;
•
H.R. 4503, Empowering Victims of Sexual Misconduct Act;
•
H.R. 4674, Stop Taxpayers Obligations to Perpetrators of Sexual Harassment Act;
•
H.R. 4822, Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act;
•
H.R. 6640, Prohibiting Perks and Privileges Act;
•
H.R. 6711, House Intern Pay Act of 2018;
•
H.R. 6956, Intern Opportunity Act;
•
S. 2236, Congressional Harassment Reform Act; and
•
S. 2872, Congressional Accountability and Harassment Reform Act.
114th Congress
•
H.R. 5993, CAN Act;
•
H.R. 1381, Transparency in Government Act of 2015;
•
H.R. 3077, Giveback Deficit Reduction Act;
•
H.R. 3147, Constituent Services Disclosure Act of 2015;
•
H.R. 5166, WINGMAN Act; and
•
H.R. 5336, Taxpayer-Funded Travel Transparency Act of 2016.
113th Congress
•
H.Res. 558, Prohibiting the use of the Members’ Representational Allowance for the payment of the costs of
first-class airline accommodations;
•
H.Con.Res. 113, Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require any Member whose
Members’ Representational Allowance is used to pay for a flight on a private aircraft to report information on
the flight not later than 30 days after the flight; and
•
H.Amdt. 642 to H.R. 4487, to prohibit the CAO of the House of Representatives from making any payments
from any Members’ Representational Allowance for the leasing of a vehicle, excluding mobile district offices
and short-term vehicle rentals.
112th Congress
•
H.R. 3774, Citizen Legislator Act of 2012;
•
H.Res. 135, Holding Congress Accountable Act of 2011;
•
H.Res. 482, Prohibiting the use of a Members’ representational allowance to obtain advertising on any
internet site other than an official site of the Member involved;
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Legislation by Congress
•
H.Res. 580, To prohibit the use of the Members’ Representational Allowance for air travel expenses of any
individual unless the individual provides an itemized description of the expenses, including the specific flight
number, and uses a credit card provided by the House of Representatives to pay for the expenses; and
•
H.Amdt. 709 to H.R. 2551, An amendment numbered 10 printed in H.Rept. 112-173 to require all mail
funded by the Members’ representational allowance and from funds for official mail for committees and
leadership offices of the House bear the official letterhead of the Member, committee, or office involved.
111th Congress
•
H.R. 5151, Congressional Oversight and Spending Transparency (COST) Act of 2010; and
•
H.Res. 1707, Holding Congress Accountable Resolution of 2010.
110th Congress
•
H.R. 5598, To establish a program under which employing offices of the House of Representatives may agree
to reimburse employees for child care expenses, and for other purposes;
•
H.Res. 1186, Prohibiting the use of funds in a Members’ Representational Allowance for the long-term lease
of a vehicle; and
•
H.R. 6, Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
109th Congress
•
H.Res. 879, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Members of the House of
Representatives should use alternative fuel vehicles in their professional and personal lives; and
•
H.R. 5338, CLEAR Act.
108th Congress
•
H.R. 2106, To permit Members of the House of Representatives to use funds provided in Member’s
Representational Allowances to obtain POW/MIA flags and distribute them to constituents.
105th Congress
•
H.R. 1046, To allow each Member of the House of Representatives to hire one additional employee, if the
employee is hired from the welfare rol s, and to provide that, if such employment is in the District of
Columbia, the jurisdiction represented by the Member may count the employment toward its welfare
participation rate requirement.
Source: CRS examination of congress.gov.
Table A-2. Examples of Legislation Introduced
Regarding the Use of Unexpended Balances
(not including regular appropriations provisions)
Congress
Bills
116th Congress
H.R. 1790; H.R. 1085
114th Congress
H.R. 3077
113th Congress
H.R. 106; H.R. 496
112th Congress
H.R. 121; H.R. 262; H.R. 297
111th Congress
H.R. 2656; H.R. 4825a
110th Congress
H.R. 272
109th Congress
H.R. 267; H.R. 1273
108th Congress
H.R. 297; H.R. 921; H.R. 2412
107th Congress
H.R. 47; H.R. 2414
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Congress
Bills
106th Congress
H.R. 431; H.R. 2117; H.R. 2171
105th Congress
H.R. 80; H.R. 866
104th Congress
H.R. 26; H.R. 376; H.R. 572
Source: CRS examination of congress.gov.
Notes: Unless otherwise noted, bil s were introduced and referred to committee, but no further action was
taken.
a. H.R. 4825 was agreed to in the House on March 17, 2010. The bil was referred to the Senate Committee
on Rules and Administration and no further action was taken during the 111th Congress.
Table A-3. Examples of Legislation Introduced to Limit the MRA
Legislation by Congress
118th Congress
•
H.R. 1876, To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for House of Representatives, Members’
Representational Allowance for fiscal year 2024.
112th Congress
•
H.Res. 22, Reducing the amount authorized for salaries and expenses of Member, committee, and leadership
offices in 2011 and 2012; and
•
H.R. 1088, Reduction of Irresponsible MRA Growth Act.
111th Congress
•
H.R. 3189, Reduction of Irresponsible MRA Growth Act; and
•
H.R. 4761, Congressional Belt-Tightening Act of 2010.
Source: CRS examination of congress.gov.
Notes: Unless otherwise noted, legislation was introduced and referred to committee, but no further action
was taken.
a. H.Res. 22 (112th Congress) was agreed to in the House on January 6, 2011.

Author Information

Ida A. Brudnick

Specialist on the Congress

Acknowledgments
Tyler Wolanin, William T. Egar, Sarah J. Eckman, Lara E. Chausow, and Aaron Weinerman assisted in
data collection for various versions of this report.
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Members’ Representational Allowance: History and Usage

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
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under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
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