H.R. 9342
GPO Modernization Act of 2026
Sponsor: Stephanie I. Bice · 0 cosponsors
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
I Sales programs
II Public information programs
Section 721 of title 44, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
721. Congressional Directory. There shall be prepared under the direction of the Director of the Government Publishing Office (1) a Congressional Directory, which shall be prepared in a digital format available at a public website of the Government Publishing Office as early as practicable during the first session of each Congress and (2) a supplement to each Congressional Directory, which shall be prepared in a digital format available at a public website of the Government Publishing Office as early as practicable during the second regular session of each Congress.
III GPO Operational Modernization
IV Preparation of Constitution Annotated