A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to prohibit certain franked mailings by Members of Congress and certain officers of the United States, other than mailings related to the closing of their official business, after such Members or officers have left office.
Public Law 94-177 · H.R. 4865 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Dec 23, 1975 · Congress
Sponsor: Rep. Gary Myers (R-PA-25)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Deletes the provisions of Federal law permitting former members of Congress to send franked mail relating to their official business until April 1, following expiration of their terms of office.
Provides that they may send franked mail relating to the closing of their offices during the 90-day period immediately following the date on which they leave office.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · Senate · referred to, reported by
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Dec 23, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-177.
- Dec 16, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 15, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Dec 11, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Oct 7, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Oct 6, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Aug 1, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Mar 13, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.