Miller-Meeks Act
The Miller-Meeks Rule Act
Short Title: This Act may be cited as the "Miller-Meeks Rule Act."
Section 1. Findings Congress finds that:
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are elected to represent and listen to their constituents.
Regular town halls are a critical method for maintaining direct engagement and transparency between elected officials and the people they serve.
An increasing number of representatives have failed to hold consistent and accessible public forums.
This lack of public accountability diminishes trust in government and undermines the principles of representative democracy.
A transparent system of engagement requirements and financial consequences will encourage representatives to maintain regular contact with their communities.
Section 2. Minimum Public Engagement Requirement
(a) Quarterly Town Hall Obligation
Each member of the House of Representatives shall be required to host a minimum of one (1) in-person town hall per quarter, totaling at least four (4) public forums per calendar year. Each event must be held in a different county or major population center within the member's congressional district.
(b) Virtual Participation Limitations
A maximum of one (1) virtual town hall may be counted toward this requirement per year. All other qualifying events must be held in-person and accessible to the general public.
(c) Public Notice Requirement
Each town hall must be publicly announced at least seven (7) days prior to the scheduled date through the member’s official website, social media channels, and press release to local news outlets.
(d) Inclusivity Requirement
Events must be open to all constituents regardless of political affiliation, and no question screening shall be allowed. Reasonable accommodations shall be made for individuals with disabilities.
Section 3. Enforcement and Penalty Mechanism
(a) Public Service Penalty
If a member fails to meet the town hall requirement in any calendar year, a $25,000 deduction shall be applied to that member’s official office expense allowance for the following fiscal year.
(b) Legal Compliance
This deduction shall not affect the member’s direct congressional salary but shall reduce the taxpayer-funded resources available for travel, office operations, and constituent communications.
(c) Use of Collected Funds
All funds deducted under this provision shall be redirected to the House Community Engagement Fund, to support civic education, expand C-SPAN local programming, and improve public access to congressional proceedings.
Section 4. Exceptions and Appeals
(a) Waiver Provision
A member may submit a written request for exemption for a specific quarter or year due to:
Verified medical hardship,
Declared natural disaster or emergency in the district,
Documented credible security threats.
(b) Review Process
All waiver requests shall be reviewed and approved or denied by the House Ethics Committee within thirty (30) days. Approved waivers must be published on the Committee’s public record.
Section 5. Rule of Construction Nothing in this Act shall be construed to abridge or infringe upon any constitutional rights or protections of members of Congress, including those under Article I, Section 6 of the United States Constitution.
Section 6. Effective Date This Act shall take effect beginning on January 3 of the calendar year following its enactment.
