Title 44Public Printing and DocumentsRelease 119-73

§1718 Distribution of Government publications to the Library of Congress

Title 44 › Chapter CHAPTER 17— - DISTRIBUTION AND SALE OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS › § 1718

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The government must print and give the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., up to 25 copies of certain official items when a Congressional committee or a government office asks for them. That covers bound House and Senate documents and reports, bound House and Senate journals, public bills and resolutions, the United States Code and supplements, and other official publications and maps printed under law. Confidential material, blank forms, and nonpublic circular letters are excluded. Also, the Library must be sent printed unbound copies: 10 copies of each House document and report, 10 copies of each Senate document and report, 10 copies of each private bill and resolution, and 50 copies of laws in slip form.

Full Legal Text

Title 44, §1718

Public Printing and Documents — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

There shall be printed and furnished to the Library of Congress for official use in the District of Columbia not to exceed twenty-five copies of: House documents and reports, bound; Senate documents and reports, bound; Senate and House journals, bound; public bills and resolutions; the United States Code and supplements, bound; and all other publications and maps which are printed, or otherwise reproduced, under authority of law, upon the requisition of a Congressional committee, executive department, bureau, independent office, establishment, commission, or officer of the Government. Confidential matter, blank forms, and circular letters not of a public character shall be excepted. In addition, there shall be delivered as printed to the Library of Congress: ten copies of each House document and report, unbound; ten copies of each Senate document and report, unbound; and ten copies of each private bill and resolution and fifty copies of the laws in slip form.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., § 139 (Jan. 28, 1899, No. 12, 30 Stat. 1388; Mar. 2, 1901, No. 16, §§ 1, 2, 31 Stat. 1464; June 20, 1936, ch. 630, title IV, § 6, 49 Stat. 1550). Reference to the Official Register is omitted as obsolete. The authorization for its compilation was repealed by Public Law 88–626 [86–626].

Editorial Notes

Codification The 1982 amendment by Pub. L. 97–276 is based on section 305(a) of S. 2939, Ninety-seventh Congress, 2d Session, as reported Sept. 22, 1982, and incorporated by reference in section 101(e) of Pub. L. 97–276, to be effective as if enacted into law.

Amendments

1982—Pub. L. 97–276 substituted “not to exceed twenty-five copies of” for “, and for international exchange as provided by section 1719 of this title, not to exceed one hundred and fifty copies of”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

44 U.S.C. § 1718

Title 44Public Printing and Documents

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73