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
III GPO Operational Modernization
Where this section came from
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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
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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.
… 14 unchanged passages …
(3) Section 1320A of title 44, United States Code, is amended by striking and with the approval of the Joint Committee on Printing
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,.
… 4 unchanged passages …
(d) Services for the National Capital Region. Section 1121 of title 44, United States Code, is amended to read as follows
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(and by conforming the table of sections of chapter 11 accordingly):
… 3 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.
(a) Redesignation of Joint Committee on Printing to Joint Committee on Publishing
(1) The Joint Committee on Printing is hereby redesignated the Joint Committee on Publishing.
(2) Any reference to the Joint Committee on Printing in any law, rule, regulation, certificate, directive, instruction, or any other official paper in force on the date of enactment of this Act shall be considered to refer and apply to the Joint Committee on Publishing.
(b) Modernizing Joint Committee Structure. Chapter 1 of title 44, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
1 Joint Committee on Publishing
101. Joint Committee on Publishing: membership. The Joint Committee on Publishing shall consist of the chair and four members of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the chair and four members of the Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives.
102. Joint Committee on Publishing: purpose and authority. The Joint Committee on Publishing shall oversee the Government Publishing Office and supervise the Director of the Government Publishing Office.
103. Joint Committee on Publishing: succession; powers during recess. The members of the Joint Committee on Publishing who are reelected to the succeeding Congress shall continue as members of the committee until their successors are chosen. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, on the last day of a Congress, appoint members of their respective Houses who have been elected to the succeeding Congress to fill vacancies which may then be about to occur on the Committee, and the appointees and members of the Committee who have been reelected shall continue until their successors are chosen. When Congress is not in session, the Joint Committee may exercise all its powers and duties as when Congress is in session.
104. Joint Committee on Publishing: remedial powers. The Joint Committee on Publishing may use any measures it considers necessary to remedy neglect, delay, duplication, or waste in the public printing and binding and the distribution of Congressional publications in any form.
(c) Removing extraneous references to the Joint Committee on Printing
(1) Section 1108 of title 44, United States Code, is amended by striking , subject to regulation by the Joint Committee on Printing,.
(2) Section 1301 of title 44, United States Code, is amended by striking in accordance with directions of the Joint Committee on Printing,.
(3) Section 1320A of title 44, United States Code, is amended by striking and with the approval of the Joint Committee on Printing,.
(4) Section 312 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 825k) is amended by striking All printing for the Federal Power Commission and all that follows through providing for interdepartmental work..
(5) Section 5(c) of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 954(c)) is amended by striking In the case of publications under paragraph (10) of this subsection such publications may be supported without regard for the provisions of section 501 of title 44, United States Code, only if the Chairperson consults with the Joint Committee on Printing of the Congress and the Chairperson submits to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives a report justifying any exemption from such section 501..
(6) Section 7(c) of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 956) is amended by striking In the case of publications under clause (8) of this subsection such publications may be supported without regard for the provisions of section 501 of title 44, United States Code, only if the Chairperson consults with the Joint Committee on Printing of the Congress and the Chairperson submits to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives a report justifying any exemption from such section 501..
(7) Section 411(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by striking the last sentence.
(d) Services for the National Capital Region. Section 1121 of title 44, United States Code, is amended to read as follows (and by conforming the table of sections of chapter 11 accordingly):
1121. Paper and envelopes for Government agencies in the National Capital region. The Director of the Government Publishing Office may procure, as provided by sections 509–516 of this title, and furnish on requisition, paper and envelopes (not including envelopes printed in the course of manufacture) in common use by two or more departments, establishments, or services of the Government in the National Capital region, within the meaning of section 8702 of title 40, United States Code, and reimbursement shall be made to the Director of the Government Publishing Office from appropriations or funds available for the purpose. Paper and envelopes so furnished by the Director of the Government Publishing Office may not be procured in any other manner.
IV Preparation of Constitution Annotated