Capuano yields Franking panel chairmanship

Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) requested to step down as chairman of the House Franking Commission, saying he does not think he can “adequately” serve in the position.

In his letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Capuano referred to the “significant updates” the franking rules require in the field of technology — a subject that had Capuano at the center of an intense debate this summer.

{mosads}“Everyone knows that the franking rules require a significant update and that this will only increase the demands on time,” he wrote to Pelosi last month.

“After [one and a half] years as chair I now realize how much time and effort the position demands and how it impacts my other duties and responsibilities,” noted Capuano, who also chairs the Capitol Security subcommittee and sits on the Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure and House Administration committees.

“I believe that you and the House deserve the best franking rules and that these can only be delivered by someone with sufficient time to dedicate to the effort. I cannot shortchange you by accepting a position I do not feel I can adequately serve.”

As chairman of the bipartisan Franking Commission, Capuano was responsible for guiding the policies that govern how members may correspond using House-related telephones, postal mail, e-mail and websites.

Questionable new communication methods, like posting official videos on YouTube or using a government- issued phone to send Twitter updates, have been used by members as technology continues to evolve at a fast pace.

And it was up to Capuano to adjust the rules to incorporate the new technology while enforcing the existing rules, which included holding members responsible for violations.

Capuano found himself in the midst of a battle last July when Democrats pushed the commission to restrict commercial advertisements from appearing on external websites that members connect with their official sites — which would have included popular websites like YouTube. They suggested creating a separate channel, free of advertisements, that could maintain video content for members.

Republicans, led by House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio), supported instating restrictions on members. But they charged that Democrats would essentially be endorsing a website if they only allowed members to use one site. GOPers also argued that Democrats were attempting to censor members.

A similar but less heated debate occurred simultaneously in the Senate, and was resolved in September.

Following the Senate’s approval of the rules, the House attempted to adopt almost identical language allowing members to use sites like YouTube, as long as visitors are given an exit notice when leaving the government site.

But at the House Administration Committee’s hearing to adopt the language, Capuano erupted in objection, saying he was fed up with Republican committee members saying they supported it and then reversing their position hours later. He also raised issue with GOP committee members for not defending him in his battle with Boehner on the issue, saying that if the situation had been reversed, he would have come to their aid.

The House eventually did adopt the new language giving members a list of acceptable websites to post material on. And members who previously had posted content on sites like YouTube were not punished for violating House franking rules.

Capuano’s office and the office of Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.), chairman of the Administration Committee, said they were not aware of a possible replacement for Capuano.