§122a . Reimbursement of House Members for office expenses outside District of Columbia

The Clerk of the House is authorized and directed to reimburse each Member, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, from the contingent fund in an amount not to exceed $300 quarterly, upon certification of each such Member and Resident Commissioner for official expenses incurred outside the District of Columbia.

(July 2, 1954, ch. 455, title I, 68 Stat. 403 ; June 13, 1957, Pub. L. 85–54, 71 Stat. 82 ; July 27, 1965, Pub. L. 89–90, §103, 79 Stat. 281 .)

Codification

Section is from the Legislative Appropriation Act, 1955.

Section 103 of act Aug. 5, 1955, provided that the provisions therein for the various items of official expenses of Members should be the permanent law with respect thereto.

Amendments

1965-An additional quarterly allowance of $150, effective January 1, 1965, was authorized by House Resolution No. 831, Eighty-eighth Congress which was enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 89–90.

1957-Pub. L. 85–54 broadened authorization for reimbursement of a Member's office expenses, formerly restricted to expenses incurred in his Congressional district, to expenses incurred outside the District of Columbia.

Transfer of Functions

Certain functions of Clerk of House of Representatives transferred to Director of Non-legislative and Financial Services by section 7 of House Resolution No. 423, One Hundred Second Congress, Apr. 9, 1992. Director of Non-legislative and Financial Services replaced by Chief Administrative Officer of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Fourth Congress, Jan. 4, 1995.

Similar Provisions

Similar provisions were contained in the Legislative Appropriation Act, 1956, act Aug. 5, 1955, ch. 568, 69 Stat. 513 .

"Member" Defined

Section 101 of act July 2, 1954, in fixing amounts for salaries, mileage, and expenses of Members of the House of Representatives provided in part that "wherever used herein the term 'Member' shall include Members of the House of Representatives, Delegates from the Territories, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico".

Reimbursement of Expenses of House Members; Member of House of Representatives and Member Defined

Section 302(a), (b), and (d) of House Resolution No. 287, Ninety-fifth Congress, Mar. 2, 1977, enacted into permanent law by Pub. L. 95–94, title I, §115, Aug. 5, 1977, 91 Stat. 668 , provided that:

"(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and until otherwise provided by law-

"(1) effective January 3, 1977, each Member of the House of Representatives shall be entitled to reimbursement under the nineteenth paragraph under the subheading 'Contingent Expenses of the House' under the heading 'HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' in the Legislative Appropriation Act, 1955 (2 U.S.C. 122a), or under chapter 4, section 401, of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1972 (2 U.S.C. 56), for any official expense incurred in the United States; and

"(2) the Clerk of the House may make disbursements under the paragraph referred to in paragraph (1) by (A) direct payment to the person from whom goods or services are obtained by the Member involved under such paragraph; or (B) reimbursement to the Member involved or person designated by the Member.

"(b) Effective January 3, 1978, notwithstanding any other provision of law and until otherwise provided by law, and conditional upon the adoption of a House rule prohibiting Members of the House of Representatives from maintaining unofficial office accounts, the entitlement of each Member of the House of Representatives under the nineteenth paragraph under the subheading 'Contingent Expenses of the House' under the heading 'HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' in the Legislative Appropriation Act, 1955 (2 U.S.C. 122a), or under chapter 4, section 401, of the Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1972 (2 U.S.C. 56), shall not exceed $7,000 annually.

"(d) For purposes of this section, the terms 'Member of the House of Representatives' and 'Member' mean each Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the House of Representatives."

Section 302(a), (b), and (d) of House Resolution No. 287 is also set out as a note under section 56 of this title. Section 302(c) of such resolution is set out as a note under section 41 of this title.

Cross References

Adjustment of allowances by Committee on House Administration, see section 57 of this title.