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

Expand all

I Sales programs

II Public information programs

Sec. 207. Requirements for depository libraries Changed · Sep 10

Where this section came from

  1. Jun 18, 2026 · Introduced in House Referred to House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Jun 18 Referred to House Committee on House Administration, Jun 18
  2. Sep 10, 2026 · Reported in House Marked up by House Committee on House Administration, Jun 24 Reported by House Committee on House Administration, Sep 10 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
What changed in the text

Section 1909 of title 44, United States Code, is amended to read as follows : (and by conforming the table of sections of chapter 19 accordingly):

… 5 unchanged passages …

What is a markup?

A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.

Section 1909 of title 44, United States Code, is amended to read as follows (and by conforming the table of sections of chapter 19 accordingly):

Text this section adds to the law

1909. Requirements of depository libraries; reports on conditions; consultations and training; termination; replacement

(a) Only a library able to provide access to, custody of, and services for deposited materials or access to and services for online digital content and located in an area where it can best serve the public need may be designated as a depository library. The designated depository libraries shall report to the Superintendent of Documents at least every two years concerning their condition.

(b) The Superintendent of Documents shall regularly assess conditions in depository libraries. The Superintendent of Documents shall provide needed training and support by making visits to depository libraries or by other means and include the results of consultations in the Superintendent of Documents’ annual report. When the Superintendent of Documents ascertains that the designated depository has ceased to be maintained so as to be accessible to the public, or that the Government publications which have been furnished the library have not been properly maintained, the Superintendent of Documents shall remove the library from the directory of depository libraries if the library fails to correct the unsatisfactory conditions within an agreed upon time frame. A library may be designated, pursuant to section 1905 of this chapter, to replace a library deleted by the Superintendent of Documents, provided that the designation may not be in excess of the number of depository libraries authorized by law.

III GPO Operational Modernization

IV Preparation of Constitution Annotated