Rep. Rob Woodall: Diverse Coalition Calls on Congress to Repeal Congressional Mail Perks

Your Washington – GA 7 – Desk

From Congressman Rob Woodall

Diverse Coalition Calls on Congress to Repeal Congressional Mail Perks

Today, a diverse coalition of government watchdog groups has called on Congress to adopt H.R. 4872, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Representatives Rob Woodall (R-GA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to repeal the outdated congressional Franking privilege, which allows Members of Congress to send mail using a signature in place of postage, and reimburse the Postal Service at a later date.

“The Woodall-Duckworth legislation is a bipartisan and measured response designed to rein in some of the worst abuses of the privilege by making it clear to both constituents and Congress alike that ‘franked mail’ costs taxpayers,” said the coalition in a letter addressed to the U.S. House of Representatives.  “In the end, making the actual costs of the franking privilege evident to constituents and members will encourage greater self-restraint by members and more accurate accounting,” the coalition letter continued.   “We urge Congress to adopt the bipartisan Woodall-Duckworth legislation to rein in abuses of the franking privilege.”

Under current law, members of Congress are allowed to send millions of dollars’ worth of mail each year without prepayment—a privilege afforded only to Congress through federal law that was passed by Congress.  H.R. 4872 would require Members of Congress to use prepaid postage, as every other federal agency, American family, and small business does today.

“In an era where trust in government is at an all-time low, we should be able to achieve common sense, bipartisan reforms that make the federal government more accountable,” said Rep. Rob Woodall.  “This straightforward bill would simply ensure that congressional offices play by the same rules at the Post Office as the folks they represent.  That should not be controversial, and I hope my colleagues will work with me to repeal this antiquated congressional perk.”

The coalition spans the ideological spectrum and includes Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW); Common Cause; National Taxpayers Union; Public Citizen; Prof. James Thurber, Dept. of Government, American University; the Taxpayers Protection Alliance; and U.S. PIRG.

Woodall represents the Seventh Congressional District of Georgia, and serves as Chairman of the Republican Study Committee.