Snail Mail Has Its Purpose, too, Vermont Delegation Says

As Vermont’s congressional lawmakers find new ways to communicate with constituents online, they continue to rely on a proven standby: taxpayer-funded snail mail. Mass mailings are still the best way to reach constituents who don’t have a computer or who aren’t comfortable using one, Rep. Peter Welch and Sen. Bernie Sanders say.

House members are allowed to spend as much of their allowances per legislative year as they want on franked print and electronic communications. Senators are limited to spending $50,000 on mass mailings, defined as 500 or more identical pieces of mail, per fiscal year.

About 19 percent of Vermont households