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Title 2, The CongressRelease 119-110

§5341 Representational Allowance for Members of House of Representatives

Title 2 › CHAPTER 53 — HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEMBERS › SUBCHAPTER III — EXPENSES AND ALLOWANCES › § 5341

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates one allowance called the Members’ Representational Allowance to pay for a Member’s official and representational work in the district they represent. It folded the Clerk Hire Allowance, the Official Expenses Allowance, and the Official Mail Allowance that existed the day before September 1, 1995 into this single allowance. A "Member of the House of Representatives" means a Representative, a Delegate, or a Resident Commissioner to Congress. The Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives can make rules to run the allowance, including rules about duties for Members-elect who are not returning incumbents. The allowance took effect on September 1, 1995 and covers duties done on or after that date.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §5341

The Congress, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general
There is established for the House of Representatives a single allowance, to be known as the “Members’ Representational Allowance”, which shall be available to support the conduct of the official and representational duties of a Member or Member-elect of the House of Representatives with respect to the district from which the Member or Member-elect is elected.
(b)Merger
The Clerk Hire Allowance, the Official Expenses Allowance, and the Official Mail Allowance, as in effect on the day before September 1, 1995, are merged into the Members’ Representational Allowance.
(c)“Member of the House of Representatives” defined
As used in this section, the term “Member of the House of Representatives” means a Representative in, or a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
(d)Regulations
The Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives shall have authority to prescribe regulations to carry out this section, including regulations establishing under subsection (a) the official and representational duties during a Congress of a Member-elect of the House of Representatives who is not an incumbent Member re-elected to the ensuing Congress.
(e)Effective date
This section shall take effect on September 1, 1995 and shall apply with respect to official and representational duties carried out on or after that date.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 57b of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

2020—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–260, § 117(a), substituted “a Member or Member-elect” for “a Member” and “the Member or Member-elect” for “the Member”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–260, § 117(b), substituted “, including

Regulations

establishing under subsection (a) the official and representational duties during a Congress of a Member-elect of the House of Representatives who is not an incumbent Member re-elected to the ensuing Congress.” for period at end.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on House Oversight of House of Representatives changed to Committee on House Administration of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999.

Effective Date

of 2020 Amendment Pub. L. 116–260, div. I, title I, § 117(c), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1641, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section] shall apply with respect to Members-elect of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress and each succeeding Congress.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 5341

Title 2, The Congress

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110