§733 — Title 44 Public Printing and Documents | U.S. Code

Summary

The Director of the Government Publishing Office can reprint committee reports and the papers that go with them when a Member of Congress orders the work and pays the cost up front. The Director must give Members of Congress and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico free blank franks for public documents. They can get franks on perforated sheets or as single pieces. Franks must show in the upper left corner that the item is a public document of either the United States Senate or the House of Representatives, and the upper right corner must show the letters U.S.S. or M.C. They may also include missing‑children information allowed under 39 U.S.C. 3220. No other wording is allowed except the official title of a document. If a Member wants extra words, a facsimile signature, a special “return if not called for” request, or the Member’s state, county, or city printed on a frank or envelope, the Member must ask for it and pay the extra cost when ordering. The Director may also print on envelopes the Member’s name, state or commonwealth, the date, and a topic of up to twelve words at the Member’s request. Any money received for these services goes to the U.S. Treasury for the Government Publishing Office’s working capital for that year, and the Director must report those receipts to Congress each year.

Title 44, §733

Public Printing and Documents — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Director of the Government Publishing Office on order of a Member of Congress, on prepayment of the cost, may reprint documents and reports of committees together with the evidence papers submitted, or any part ordered printed by the Congress. He may also furnish without cost to Members and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, blank franks printed on sheets and perforated, or singly at their option, for public documents. Franks shall contain in the upper left-hand corner the following words: “Public document. United States Senate” or “House of Representatives U.S.” and in the upper right-hand corner the letters “U.S.S.” or “M. C.” Franks may also contain information relating to missing children as provided in section 3220 of title 39. But he may not print any other words except where it is desirable to affix the official title of a document. Other words printed on franks shall be at the personal expense of the Member or Resident Commissioner ordering them. At the request of a Member of Congress or Resident Commissioner the Director of the Government Publishing Office may print upon franks or envelopes used for mailing public documents the facsimile signature of the Member or Resident Commissioner and a special request for return if not called for, and the name of the State or Commonwealth and county and city. The Member or Resident Commissioner shall deposit with his order the extra expense involved in printing these additional words. The Director of the Government Publishing Office may also, at the request of a Member or Resident Commissioner, print on envelopes authorized to be furnished, the name of the Member or Resident Commissioner, and State or Commonwealth, the date, and the topic or subject matter, not exceeding twelve words. The Director of the Government Publishing Office shall deposit moneys accruing under this section in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the appropriation made for the working capital of the Government Publishing Office for the year in which the work is done. He shall account for them in his annual report to Congress.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., § 162 (Jan. 12, 1895, ch. 23, § 37, 28 Stat. 606; Mar. 2, 1895, ch. 189, § 1, 28 Stat. 961; Jan. 30, 1904, ch. 39, 33 Stat. 9; Mar. 4, 1925, ch. 549, § 1, 43 Stat. 1300). Section 893 of Title 48, U.S. Code, provides that: “The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico shall . . . be allowed the franking privilege granted Members of Congress.” By inference he should be included in section 733, since the franking privilege should include the means to use it. Changes have been made in section 733 to include the Resident Commissioner as to printing of franks.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2014—Pub. L. 113–235, § 1301(c)(1), substituted “Director of the Government Publishing Office” for “Public Printer” wherever appearing. 1985—Pub. L. 99–87 inserted “Franks may also contain information relating to missing children as provided in section 3220 of title 39.” before “But he may not print” in second par. 1974—Pub. L. 93–255 struck out “Postage paid by Congress.” after “Public document.” in second par. 1973—Pub. L. 93–191 substituted “Public document. Postage paid by Congress.” for “Public document. Free.” in second par.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“Government Publishing Office” substituted for “Government Printing Office” in text on authority of section 1301(b) of Pub. L. 113–235, set out as a note preceding section 301 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1973 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 93–191 effective Dec. 18, 1973, see section 14 of Pub. L. 93–191, set out as a note under section 3210 of Title 39, Postal Service.

§733 Documents and reports ordered by Members of Congress; franks and envelopes for Members of Congress