House Administration approves committee expense resolution and sets intern, franking allocations

At a meeting of the House Committee on House Administration, the committee adopted H.Res.198 as amended and approved two committee resolutions that set intern and franking allocations for the 119th Congress.

The committee’s chair said the amendment in the nature of a substitute "provides committees with the funding they need to conduct their important work in the hundred and nineteenth Congress," and urged members to approve the measure so committees could begin work. The committee proceeded to adopt the amendment and then agreed to H.Res.198 as amended by voice vote.

The committee then considered Committee Resolution 119-10, which allocates the 2025 legislative-year intern allowance among standing and select committees (excluding the Appropriations Committee), and Committee Resolution 119-11, which sets the official franking (mail) allowance for standing and select committees (excluding Appropriations). Ranking Member Mr. Morelli said he supported the measures as "capacity-increasing" and urged members to vote in favor. Both committee resolutions were approved en bloc by voice vote.

Why it matters: H.Res.198 and the two committee resolutions provide institutional funding and personnel resources that committees use to carry out oversight, drafting, and other duties of the House. The intern allocation funds compensation for interns across committees (except Appropriations), and the franking allocation determines the official mail allowances committees may use for communications.

Details of actions and procedure

- The committee dispensed with the first reading and treated an amendment in the nature of a substitute as the original text for purposes of amendment. Members voted by voice; the chair stated "the ayes have it," and the amendment was adopted.

- The committee then approved H.Res.198 as amended, again by voice vote; the chair noted a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

- Committee Resolution 119-10 (intern allocations for FY2025 legislative year, excluding Appropriations) and Committee Resolution 119-11 (franking/mail allowances, excluding Appropriations) were reported and agreed to en bloc by voice vote; the chair likewise laid a motion to reconsider on the table.

Quotations in context

- Chair, House Committee on House Administration: "The amendment in the nature of a substitute provides committees with the funding they need to conduct their important work in the hundred and nineteenth Congress."

- Mr. Morelli, Ranking Member: "I support these resolutions as they are capacity-increasing measures for our fellow committees..."

Clarifying details and limits

- The intern allocation in Committee Resolution 119-10 applies to the 2025 legislative year and explicitly excludes the Appropriations Committee, per the committee report language stated on the record.

- The franking allocation in Committee Resolution 119-11 likewise applies to standing and select committees and excludes the Appropriations Committee.

- All approvals on these items were by voice vote; no roll-call tallies or counts were provided in the committee record.

Ending

The committee authorized staff to make technical and conforming changes to the record; with no further business the chair adjourned the committee.