Ida A. Brudnick
Analyst on the Congress
Members of the House of Representatives have one consolidated allowance, the Members’ 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.
The allocation of office spending has been a topic of interest to academics, interest groups, newspapers, and constituents for many years. Information on individual office spending is published in the quarterly Statements of Disbursement of the House, which are currently available in the Legislative Resource Center of the House of Representatives. Following increased interest in the MRA, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in June 2009 directed the then-Chief Administrative Officer to make future statements available on the website of the House of Representatives. The initial release, which was made available on November 30, 2009, contains information on spending for the quarter ending September 30, 2009. During the 111th Congress, legislation was introduced (H.R. 2656, H.R. 3189, H.R. 4761, H.R. 4825, H.R. 5151, H.Res. 1707) to alter the MRA or curtail its growth. The incoming majority for the 112th Congress has also announced its intention to introduce legislation “reducing the amount authorized for salaries and expenses of Member, committee, and leadership offices in 2011 and 2012.”
This report provides a history and overview of the MRA and examines spending patterns in the 109th Congress (2005 and 2006). The data exclude non-voting Members, including Delegates and the Resident Commissioner. Members who were not in Congress for all of 2005, whether the Member left Congress prior to the end of the year or entered any time after the beginning of the session, were also excluded. Similarly, Members who were not sworn in at the beginning of the 109th Congress or did not remain until the end of the second session were not included in the analysis of 2006. This limitation resulted in data analyzing 431 Members for 2005 and 426 for 2006. Information is provided on total spending and spending for various categories, including personnel compensation; personnel benefits; travel; rent, utilities, and communications; printing and reproduction; other services; supplies and materials; transportation of things; equipment; and franked mail. The data collected demonstrate that, despite variations when considering all Members, many Members allocate their spending in a similar manner.
Date of Report: January 5, 2011
Number of Pages: 18
Order Number: R40962
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
Analyst on the Congress
Members of the House of Representatives have one consolidated allowance, the Members’ 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.
The allocation of office spending has been a topic of interest to academics, interest groups, newspapers, and constituents for many years. Information on individual office spending is published in the quarterly Statements of Disbursement of the House, which are currently available in the Legislative Resource Center of the House of Representatives. Following increased interest in the MRA, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in June 2009 directed the then-Chief Administrative Officer to make future statements available on the website of the House of Representatives. The initial release, which was made available on November 30, 2009, contains information on spending for the quarter ending September 30, 2009. During the 111th Congress, legislation was introduced (H.R. 2656, H.R. 3189, H.R. 4761, H.R. 4825, H.R. 5151, H.Res. 1707) to alter the MRA or curtail its growth. The incoming majority for the 112th Congress has also announced its intention to introduce legislation “reducing the amount authorized for salaries and expenses of Member, committee, and leadership offices in 2011 and 2012.”
This report provides a history and overview of the MRA and examines spending patterns in the 109th Congress (2005 and 2006). The data exclude non-voting Members, including Delegates and the Resident Commissioner. Members who were not in Congress for all of 2005, whether the Member left Congress prior to the end of the year or entered any time after the beginning of the session, were also excluded. Similarly, Members who were not sworn in at the beginning of the 109th Congress or did not remain until the end of the second session were not included in the analysis of 2006. This limitation resulted in data analyzing 431 Members for 2005 and 426 for 2006. Information is provided on total spending and spending for various categories, including personnel compensation; personnel benefits; travel; rent, utilities, and communications; printing and reproduction; other services; supplies and materials; transportation of things; equipment; and franked mail. The data collected demonstrate that, despite variations when considering all Members, many Members allocate their spending in a similar manner.
Date of Report: January 5, 2011
Number of Pages: 18
Order Number: R40962
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
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