The use of "franking" to fund incumbent House members' reelection campaigns is a controversial practice that dates back to the founding of the House. Each election cycle, incumbent members use this privilege to fund their reelection campaigns. In the 2024 election cycle alone, House offices spent a combined $44 million on franked mail and another $19 million on other forms of franked communications such as ads. Around $5 million of this was spent on television and digital ads, marked as "paid for with official funds authorized by the House of Representatives". Most of these politicians have been identified as battleground-district members. The practice has been criticized by ethics watchdogs for its low standing in the public eye.