HR6028-119

What This Bill Does

This bill makes several governance changes for legislative-branch agencies. It creates statutory Deputy Librarian of Congress rules, including a 120-day appointment deadline, fallback appointment by House and Senate leadership after oversight committee leadership recommends an individual, notification duties when the position is vacant, and acting Librarian authority. It makes similar changes for the Government Publishing Office Deputy Director and acting Director. It also changes the GPO Director appointment process to a congressional commission and House and Senate leadership vote, removes Senate advice-and-consent language, and allows removal by House and Senate leadership.

The bill makes major Copyright Office changes. Across title 17 and related statutes, many authorities currently assigned to the Librarian of Congress are shifted to the Register of Copyrights. The Register would be appointed by the President with Senate confirmation after House and Senate Judiciary Committee leaders recommend three candidates, must have copyright-law background and U.S. citizenship, receives a 10-year term with possible 5-year reappointments, appoints Copyright Office officers, and has authority over Copyright Royalty Judges, Copyright Claims Board issues, section 1201 exemptions, and support agreements. The bill also creates a GPO human capital management system based on merit principles, prohibited personnel practices, political-activity restrictions, veteran preference, public comment, and Joint Committee on Printing approval, and updates GPO printing authority for Congress, the Executive Office of the President, the Judiciary, and executive agencies.

Who Benefits and How

House and Senate leadership benefit from direct appointment and removal roles for Library of Congress and GPO succession positions. Oversight committee leadership benefits from recommendation authority when deputy or director vacancies arise. The Register of Copyrights benefits from presidential appointment, Senate confirmation, fixed-term authority, and direct control over many copyright functions. Copyright Office staff benefit from clearer officer appointment and support-agreement rules. Government Publishing Office employees benefit from a dedicated human capital system that preserves merit principles and anti-reprisal protections. Agencies using GPO printing services benefit from updated authority to obtain printing, binding, blank-book work, and publishing services.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Librarian of Congress loses direct control over many Copyright Office authorities and must operate under new Deputy Librarian succession rules. GPO Director offices must implement appointment, vacancy, removal, deputy, and acting-official procedures. Copyright Office managers must implement new appointment, term, officer, support-agreement, and ratification rules. Joint Committee on Printing members must approve GPO human-capital regulations after public comment. Legislative-branch inspectors general lose oversight authority over the Copyright Office. Legal publishers and agency counsel must update many statutory references from Librarian of Congress to Register of Copyrights.

Key Provisions

• Establishes Deputy Librarian appointment, vacancy, and acting Librarian rules.
• Changes GPO Director appointment and removal to a congressional leadership process.
• Establishes GPO Deputy Director appointment, vacancy, and acting Director rules.
• Transfers many Copyright Office authorities from the Librarian of Congress to the Register of Copyrights.
• Sets Register of Copyrights appointment, qualification, 10-year term, and reappointment rules.
• Creates a GPO human capital management system with merit principles, veteran preference, public comment, and anti-reprisal protections.
• Updates GPO printing-service authority and repeals an older 1993 print requirement.