GovTrack’s Bill Summary
We don’t have a summary available yet.
H.R. 5148 (111th): To amend title 39, United States Code, to clarify the instances in which the term “census” may appear on mailable matter.
- Introduced:
- Apr 27, 2010 (111th Congress, 2009–2010)
- Sponsor:
- Rep. Darrell Issa [R-CA49]
- Status:
- Signed by the President
- Slip Law:
- This bill became Pub.L. 111-170.
The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.
Library of Congress Summary
The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.
5/24/2010--Public Law. (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced.
The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.) Requires, in order to not be disposed of by the U.S. Postal Service, any mailing soliciting the purchase of a product or service or soliciting information or the contribution of funds or membership fees that has the word "census" visible through the envelope, or outside cover or wrapper, to include:
(1) the accurate name and return address of the entity sending the mailing; and
(2) a notice that the mailing is not affiliated with the federal government.
House Republican Conference Summary
The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.
This summary can be found at http://www.gop.gov/bill/111/2/hr5148.
Background
The Prevent Deceptive Census Look Alike Mailings Act was enacted on April 7, 2010, and requires any mailing that has the word "census" marked on the envelope or outer wrapper to include the accurate name and return address of the entity sending the mailing. It also requires any non-government mailings that use the word "census" to include a notice that the mailing is not affiliated with the federal government.
Summary
H.R. 5148 would expand current law to specify that any mailing that has the word "census" visible through a window in an envelope would have to include the accurate name and return address of the entity sending the mailing, and would have to include a notice that the mailing is not affiliated with the federal government. Current law only imposes this requirement only for mailings with the word "census" marked on the outside of the envelope.
The bill would also authorize the U.S. Postal Service to stop delivery of mailings that do not comply with these requirements.
Cost
CBO has not yet produced a cost estimate for H.R. 5148.
House Democratic Caucus Summary
The House Democratic Caucus does not provide summaries of bills.
So, yes, we display the House Republican Conference’s summaries when available even if we do not have a Democratic summary available. That’s because we feel it is better to give you as much information as possible, even if we cannot provide every viewpoint.
We’ll be looking for a source of summaries from the other side in the meanwhile.
The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:
United States Code
The United States Code is the compilation of permanent laws enacted by Congress. Temporary and other non-permanent laws do not appear in the United States Code. (About half of the United States Code is the law itself, called positive law. The other half is merely a compilation of the laws but has no legal significance.)
- Title 39: POSTAL SERVICE
- Part IV: MAIL MATTER
- Chapter 30: NONMAILABLE MATTER
- Section 3001: Nonmailable matter