Department of Health and Human Services--Use of Appropriated Funds for "HealthReform.gov" Web site and "State Your Support" Web page

This responds to your request for a legal opinion regarding the Department of Health and Human Services's (HHS's) use of appropriated funds for the HealthReform.gov Web site and a Web page within that site, the State Your Support Web page. Specifically, you asked whether the opportunity for the public to sign electronic form letters stating support for the Administration's health care reform initiative violated the prohibitions on the use of appropriations for grassroots lobbying, including 18 U.S.C. 1913, and for publicity or propaganda activities, as contained in the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009. As explained below, we conclude that HHS did not violate the grassroots lobbying prohibitions nor did it violate the publicity or propaganda prohibition.