The bill aims to modernize government publishing processes, public information access, and the operations of the Government Publishing Office. It seeks to improve public access to government information, update oversight and authorities of the GPO, and establish the National Collection of U.S. Public Information. The bill also addresses the digital publication of the Congressional Directory, enhances accessibility, and alters employee compensation and leave carryover. Furthermore, it emphasizes digital editions of the Constitution Annotated and removes hardbound version requirements, intending to streamline GPO processes and enhance accessibility to constitutional resources.
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.