The word evokes images of something cooking inside the Wienermobile. And, as with hot dogs, what's inside "franking" can turn stomachs.

In this case, those are taxpayers' stomachs. Franking is the term for the mass mailings that many members of Congress send to constituents. An Associated Press check of U.S. House records pegged the cost of them at more than $20 million in 2006.

In general, communication with the home district is a good thing. The more informed citizens are, the less likely politicians are to land in the pocket of some shady special interest group.

Not everyone has the time or the Internet access to track the doings of Congress on a daily basis, so the mailings that offer periodic updates on issues can be beneficial. Democratic Rep. David Obey, who spent the most among Wisconsin's House members, wished he had been tops in the nation.

Unfortunately, what's in those brochures and letters often drifts into unnecessary territory. Some advice is better left to the experts. We doubt consumers look to Congress for expertise on auto maintenance or energy savings when similar tips arrive regularly with bills from the insurance and energy companies.

Snail-mail updates are a bigger priority for newer members. The AP study found the 59 representatives who spent zero on the mailings were more often the longest-serving ones. Presumably, those who used to send them now feel secure enough in their seats to skip it.

It would be pointless to regulate the content of those mailings. The line between informing and campaigning is tough to distinguish, and voters can decide if their congressional leader has strayed too far to the latter.

That said, we see no need for public officials to package the information in an expensive glossy format. That only validates the view that it's intended as a sneaky form of campaign literature.

Of the 435 House members, 64 spent more than $100,000 on the paper push during the year that was reviewed. Congress should consider instating rules to cap the amount that can be spent. That way it can encourage more efficient use of franking. Just like the legislation they're paid to pass, it's their job to make sure the meat doesn't get tossed out with the hot dog water.