Title 2 — The CongressRelease 119-73

§177 Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry

Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS › § 177

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates the job called Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. The Librarian of Congress must pick the Poet Laureate for one- or two-year terms using the same appointment rules in place on December 20, 1985. Choices must be made only for literary merit. The Poet Laureate is paid from endowment money managed by the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board. Federal agencies are encouraged to invite the Poet Laureate to ceremonies, under rules the Librarian approves so the poet’s work is not disrupted. The Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, with advice from the National Council on the Arts, must run a yearly program where the Poet Laureate presents major work or highlights other notable poets. Congress authorized $10,000 to the NEA for fiscal year 1987 and for each later fiscal year ending before October 1, 1990 to carry out this part.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §177

The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Congress recognizes that the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress has for some time occupied a position of prominence in the life of the Nation, has spoken effectively for literary causes, and has occasionally performed duties and functions sometimes associated with the position of poet laureate in other nations and societies. Individuals are appointed to the position of Consultant in Poetry by the Librarian of Congress for one- or two-year terms solely on the basis of literary merit, and are compensated from endowment funds administered by the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board. The Congress further recognizes this position is equivalent to that of Poet Laureate of the United States.

(b)(1)There is established in the Library of Congress the position of Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry shall be appointed by the Librarian of Congress pursuant to the same procedures of appointment as established on December 20, 1985, for the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

(2)Each department and office of the Federal Government is encouraged to make use of the services of the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for ceremonial and other occasions of celebration under such procedures as the Librarian of Congress shall approve designed to assure that participation under this paragraph does not impair the continuation of the work of the individual chosen to fill the position of Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry.

(c)(1)The Chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts, with the advice of the National Council on the Arts, shall annually sponsor a program at which the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry will present a major work or the work of other distinguished poets.

(2)There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Endowment for the Arts $10,000 for the fiscal year 1987 and for each succeeding fiscal year ending prior to October 1, 1990, for the purpose of carrying out this subsection.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 177

Title 2 — The Congress

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73