Census Form Integrity Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6250 To amend title 39, United States Code, to prohibit deceptive mail relating to the census, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 12, 2020 Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York (for herself and Ms. ESHOO) intro- duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Over- sight and Reform A BILL To amend title 39, United States Code, to prohibit deceptive mail relating to the census, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Census Form Integrity 4 Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON DECEPTIVE MAILINGS RELATING 6 TO THE CENSUS. 7 Section 3001(i) of title 39, United States Code, is 8 amended by adding at the end the following: 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Mar 27, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6250.IH H6250 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6250 IH ‘‘(3)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of 1 this section, and except as provided in subparagraph 2 (C), any matter described in subparagraph (B) is 3 nonmailable matter, shall not be carried or delivered 4 by mail, and shall be disposed of as the Postal Serv- 5 ice directs. 6 ‘‘(B) Matter described in this subparagraph is 7 any matter that is otherwise legally acceptable in the 8 mails which constitutes a solicitation by a non- 9 governmental entity for information or the contribu- 10 tion of funds that— 11 ‘‘(i) bears the term ‘census’ on such mat- 12 ter, or on the envelope or outside cover or wrap- 13 per in which the matter is mailed; and 14 ‘‘(ii)(I) bears the term ‘official’, or any 15 other language suggesting that a response is re- 16 quired or mandatory, on such matter, or on the 17 envelope or outside cover or wrapper in which 18 the matter is mailed; or 19 ‘‘(II) could be reasonably interpreted or 20 construed as implying any Federal Government 21 connection, approval, or endorsement. 22 ‘‘(C) This paragraph shall not apply to— 23 ‘‘(i) any matter mailed by a Federal agen- 24 cy; or 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Mar 27, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6250.IH H6250 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6250 IH ‘‘(ii) any matter, and the envelope or out- 1 side cover or wrapper in which such matter is 2 mailed, that bears on its face in capital letters 3 and in conspicuous and legible type the fol- 4 lowing notices: ‘THIS ORGANIZATION HAS 5 NOT BEEN APPROVED OR ENDORSED 6 BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND 7 THIS OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE BY 8 AN AGENCY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERN- 9 MENT.’ and ‘THIS IS NOT A GOVERN- 10 MENT DOCUMENT’, or notices to the same 11 effect in words which the Postal Service may 12 prescribe. 13 ‘‘(D) If the Postmaster General determines that 14 matter has been placed in the mail in violation of 15 this paragraph— 16 ‘‘(i) not later than 15 days after the date 17 of such determination, the Postmaster General 18 shall notify the Director of the Bureau of the 19 Census, the Committee on Oversight and Re- 20 form of the House of Representatives, and the 21 Committee on Homeland Security and Govern- 22 mental Affairs of the Senate; and 23 ‘‘(ii) any mailing permit used by the non- 24 governmental entity that mailed such matter 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Mar 27, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6250.IH H6250 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6250 IH shall be revoked for a period, to be determined 1 by the Postmaster General, of up to 1 year be- 2 ginning on such date of determination.’’. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:37 Mar 27, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6250.IH H6250 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS