H.R. 10204
Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act
Sponsor: H. Morgan Griffith · 0 cosponsors
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act
This bill revises the procedures for appointing and removing the Librarian of Congress, the Director of the Government Publishing Office (GPO), and the Register of Copyrights. The bill also establishes an Office of Inspector General within the Copyright Office and requires GPO to establish a human management system.
Specifically, the bill requires the Librarian of Congress and the Director of GPO to be appointed by a bipartisan congressional commission, based on procedures outlined by the bill and without regard to political affiliation. (Currently, these positions are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.) The Librarian of Congress and the Director of GPO may only be removed from office by a majority vote of the majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Additionally, the bill requires the Librarian of Congress and the Director of GPO to each appoint a deputy within a set time frame and outlines related procedures.
The bill removes the Library of Congress's (LOC's) supervisory authority over the Copyright Office and instead transfers those powers directly to the Register of Copyrights. LOC and other legislative agencies may provide support services to the Copyright Office.
The bill requires the Register of Copyrights to be (1) a U.S. citizen with a background and experience in copyright law, and (2) appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. (Currently, the Register is appointed by the Librarian.) Before the President makes the appointment, the chair and ranking minority member of each specified committee must jointly recommend three individuals whom the President may consider in making the appointment. The bill limits the term of office for the Register to 10 years, but the individual may be reappointed.
The bill requires subordinate officers and employees of the Copyright Office to be appointed by the Register. Further, the bill requires the Register (instead of the Librarian) to appoint the three administrative judges of the Copyright Royalty Board.
The bill also establishes an Office of Inspector General within the Copyright Office to, among other duties, conduct and supervise audits and investigations (excluding incidents involving violence and personal property) relating to the Copyright Office. The Register must appoint an Inspector General to head this office without regard to political affiliation. The Register may remove or transfer the Inspector General with prior congressional notification.
The bill also requires GPO to establish and maintain a human capital management system and outlines the requirements for the system.
Text of the bill
(a) Application of the Congressional Accountability Act to the Government Publishing Office. Section 101(a) of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1301(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (3)—
(A) in subparagraph (J), by striking or;
(B) in subparagraph (K), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
(L) the Government Publishing Office.
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking through (K) and inserting through (L);
(3) in paragraph (8), by striking through (K) and inserting through (L); and
(4) in paragraph (9)(D)—
(A) by striking and the John and inserting the John; and
(B) by inserting , and the Government Publishing Office before ; or.
(b) Conforming amendments
(1) Section 2301(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
(a) This section shall apply to an Executive agency.
(2) Section 2302(a)(2)(C) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking and the Government Publishing Office.
(3) Section 4301(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(A) by striking (1) agency means— and all that follows through but does not include— and inserting the following:
(1) agency means an Executive agency, but does not include—
; and
(B) by redesignating clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) as subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C).
(4) Section 4701(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking and the Government Publishing Office.
(5) Section 5102(a)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended—
(A) by striking subparagraph (D); and
(B) redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively.