[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 281 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 281

To require a Federal agency to include language in certain educational 
 and advertising materials indicating that such materials are produced 
                 and disseminated at taxpayer expense.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 2015

 Mr. Blunt (for himself and Mr. Rubio) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require a Federal agency to include language in certain educational 
 and advertising materials indicating that such materials are produced 
                 and disseminated at taxpayer expense.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR PRINTED MATERIALS AND ADVERTISEMENTS BY 
              FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Identification of Funding Sources.--Each communication funded 
by a Federal agency for advertising or educational purposes shall 
clearly state--
            (1) in the case of a printed communication, including mass 
        mailings, signs, and billboards, that the communication is 
        printed and published at taxpayer expense; and
            (2) in the case of a communication transmitted through 
        radio, television, the Internet, or any means other than the 
        means referred to in paragraph (1), that the communication is 
        produced and disseminated at taxpayer expense.
    (b) Additional Requirements.--
            (1) Printed communication.--Any printed communication 
        described under subsection (a)(1) shall--
                    (A) be of sufficient type size to be clearly 
                readable by the recipient of the communication;
                    (B) be contained in a printed box set apart from 
                the other contents of the communication; and
                    (C) be printed with a reasonable degree of color 
                contrast between the background and the printed 
                statement.
            (2) Radio, television, and internet communication.--
                    (A) Audio communication.--Any audio communication 
                described under subsection (a)(2) shall include an 
                audio statement in a clearly spoken manner indicating 
                that the communication is produced and disseminated at 
                taxpayer expense.
                    (B) Video communication.--Any video communication 
                described under subsection (a)(2) shall include a 
                statement indicating that the communication is produced 
                and disseminated at taxpayer expense, which shall--
                            (i) be conveyed in a clearly spoken manner;
                            (ii) be conveyed by a voice-over or screen 
                        view of the person making the statement; and
                            (iii) appear in writing at the end of the 
                        communication in a clearly readable manner with 
                        a reasonable degree of color contrast between 
                        the background and the printed statement, for a 
                        period of not less than 4 seconds.
                    (C) E-mail communication.--Any e-mail communication 
                described under subsection (a)(2) shall--
                            (i) be of sufficient type size to be 
                        clearly readable by the recipient of the 
                        communication;
                            (ii) be set apart from the other contents 
                        of the communication; and
                            (iii) be displayed with a reasonable degree 
                        of color contrast between the background and 
                        the printed statement.
    (c) Exceptions.--Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to--
            (1) information in or relating to a solicitation for--
                    (A) offers for a Federal contract; or
                    (B) applications or submissions of a bid or 
                proposal for a Federal grant or other means of funding 
                under a Federal program; and
            (2) advertisements for employment opportunities, not 
        including advertising materials developed for use for 
        recruitment and retention of personnel for the Armed Forces.
    (d) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Federal agency.--The term ``Federal agency'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``Executive agency'' in section 133 of 
        title 41, United States Code.
            (2) Mass mailing.--The term ``mass mailing''--
                    (A) means any mailing or distribution of 499 or 
                more newsletters, pamphlets, or other printed matter 
                with substantially identical content, whether such 
                matter is deposited singly or in bulk, or at the same 
                time or different times; and
                    (B) does not include any mailing--
                            (i) in direct response to a communication 
                        from a person to whom the matter is mailed; or
                            (ii) of a news release to the 
                        communications media.
    (e) Source of Funds.--The funds used by a Federal agency to carry 
out this Act shall be derived from amounts made available to the agency 
for advertising or other communications regarding the programs and 
activities of the agency.
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