H.R. 9342

GPO Modernization Act of 2026

Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

GPO Modernization Act of 2026

This bill revises certain programs and operations of the Government Publishing Office (GPO). The bill also revises a Library of Congress (LOC) requirement related to the publication of the Constitution Annotated.

Specifically, the bill revises the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) through which GPO provides long-term public access to federal publications. Among other changes to the FDLP, the bill (1) updates statutory references within the FDLP to include references to government public information in all formats, including digital; and (2) removes a requirement that a depository library must maintain a specified minimum number of books.

Additionally, the bill requires GPO's Superintendent of Documents to (1) provide descriptive cataloguing records for government public information, which must include metadata; and (2) protect the privacy of individuals using the digital repository system.

Among other changes to GPO operations, the bill

  • redesignates the Joint Committee on Printing (which oversees GPO) as the Joint Committee on Publishing and updates the relevant statutory references,
  • specifies that GPO may provide publishing services,
  • allows GPO to accept gifts,
  • increases the statutory simplified acquisition threshold for GPO purchases, and
  • updates certain employee leave carryover and compensation rules.

The bill also replaces the requirement for LOC to prepare hardbound versions of the Constitution Annotated and supplements with a requirement for LOC to instead prepare digital versions and publish them online. The new requirement applies to the supplement after the Supreme Court term beginning October 2026 and all subsequent editions.

Text of the bill

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Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents Since introduced

(a) Short title. This Act may be cited as the GPO Modernization Act of 2026.

(b) Table of contents. The table of contents of this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Title I—Sales programs Sec. 101. Sale of Government documents. Title II—Public information programs Sec. 201. Purpose and establishment. Sec. 202. Definitions. Sec. 203. Availability of Government publications. Sec. 204. Selections available to depository libraries. Sec. 205. Distribution to depositories. Sec. 206. Conforming amendment related to libraries of executive departments. Sec. 207. Requirements for depository libraries. Sec. 208. Free use of Government public information in depositories. Sec. 209. Regional depositories. Sec. 210. Cataloging and access. Sec. 211. National Collection of United States Public Information. Sec. 212. Printing or publication of Congressional Directory. Title III—GPO Operational Modernization Sec. 301. Updating Oversight by the Joint Committee. Sec. 302. Modernizing authorities of the Government Publishing Office. Sec. 303. Updating and Modernizing Congressional Publishing. Sec. 304. GPO and the Federal Register. Sec. 305. Acceptance of gifts. Sec. 306. Simplified acquisitions. Sec. 307. Supplies or services. Sec. 308. Detail of employees. Sec. 309. Equalizing GPO Compensation with Other Legislative Branch Agencies. Sec. 310. Leave carryover for certain Government Publishing Office positions. Title IV—Preparation of Constitution Annotated Sec. 401. Repeal requirement for Congressional Research Service to prepare Annotated Constitution and supplements in hardbound version.

I Sales programs

II Public information programs

III GPO Operational Modernization

IV Preparation of Constitution Annotated