Press Releases

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) has been appointed to serve as Chairwoman of the Communications Standards Commission of the House Committee on Administration. 

“I’m honored to chair the Communications Standards Commission and excited to continue the work of the Select Committee to Modernize Congress with the Commission,” said Chairwoman Scanlon. 

The Communications Standards Commission, formerly known as the Franking Commission, is a six-person bipartisan commission whose primary functions include:

• Issuing regulations governing the proper use of the franking privilege and other government communications resources.
• Providing advice and counsel to members of Congress and House Committees about their mass communications by issuing Advisory Opinions.
• Hearing formal complaints against members who have allegedly violated franking regulations and law.

Last year, the Communications Standards Commission updated  and streamlined the rules by which members communicate with their constituents for the first time in two decades. This process was completed working closely with the Select Committee to Modernize Congress, which Rep. Scanlon served on during the 116th Congress.

“With the rapidly changing pace of today's digital environment, Congress must adapt to implement modern and transparent communications standards,” added Chairwoman Scanlon. “The past year has shown us how imperative it is for members to be able to communicate with their constituents quickly and thoroughly across multiple platforms. I look forward to working with Ranking Member Kat Cammock to continue the great bipartisan work of the last Congress to develop and enforce transparent, modern, and expeditious communications standards that reflect the world we live and work in today.”

“I am very pleased that Representative Mary Gay Scanlon will serve as Chair of the House Communications Standards Commission in the 117th Congress,” said Committee on House Administration Chairperson Zoe Lofgren. “With Chairwoman Scanlon’s leadership, I am confident the Commission can continue in its bipartisan efforts to modernize rules regarding the use of official communication resources and ensure members are able to communicate with their constituents more effectively. I look forward to seeing her work to make the House more accessible for the American people.”

The Commission’s regulations cover the content of official office communications distributed by the U.S. House of Representatives and its members. They include, but not are limited to, postal mail, e-mail, handouts, SMS messages (and similar messaging methods), advertisements (including digital, newspaper, radio, and television), robo calls, and other paper-based, telecommunications-based, and digital communications.

Read more about the commission here.

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