Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act
Sponsored By: Representative Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9]
Passed House
Summary
Shifts who picks top library, copyright, and GPO leaders. This bill would replace Senate confirmation with a commission and congressional leadership votes for the Librarian of Congress and the Government Publishing Office Director, and create a stand‑alone Register of Copyrights with its own appointment path and authorities.
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- Library and GPO leadership: Would require a three‑candidate recommendation process and let House and Senate leaders pick or remove the Librarian and GPO Director by majority vote. Deputies must be named within 120 days and serve as acting officers when needed.
- Copyright Office and creators: Would move many Title 17 powers from the Librarian to the Register, require Presidential nomination with Senate consent only after joint congressional committee recommendations, cap Associate Registers at 4, and create an independent Copyright Office Inspector General with subpoena and certain law‑enforcement authorities.
- GPO workers and operations: Would apply the Congressional Accountability Act to the Government Publishing Office, require a merit‑based human capital system, update printing rules, and set transition milestones including May 8, 2025 and Sept 30, 2029.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
New workplace protections for Government Publishing employees
If enacted, Government Publishing Office (GPO) employees would be covered by the Congressional Accountability Act’s workplace protections and claims process. The GPO would have to launch a merit-based human capital system 180 days after enactment. The system would follow 5 U.S.C. 2301 principles, ban 5 U.S.C. 2302(b) practices and political activity, prefer eligible applicants with executive-branch hiring preference, and use public notice and comment with approval by the Joint Committee on Printing. Employees would not be punished for commenting, and pending claims and payments would be preserved.
Stronger oversight and leadership at Copyright Office
If enacted, the Register of Copyrights would serve a 10-year term and could be reappointed for 5-year terms. The President would pick from three people jointly recommended by key House and Senate committees. A new independent Inspector General would audit and investigate, issue subpoenas, and publish reports. Agents could make arrests and carry firearms while on duty if they meet citizenship, training, and legal requirements. A transition would run from enactment to September 30, 2029 to separate the Copyright Office from the Library, and the Register and Librarian would be able to move appropriated funds by agreement. The Copyright Office could get IT, legal, security, and other support under service agreements with reimbursement. Actions taken under Title 17 from May 8, 2025 to enactment would be ratified.
Government Publishing Office can serve more agencies
If enacted, the Government Publishing Office would be allowed to provide printing and publishing services to Congress, the White House, the courts, and all executive agencies. This could shift work from private vendors to the GPO.
Who decides device unlocking exemptions
If enacted, the bill would clarify who sets anti-circumvention exemptions, like device unlocking. Exemptions adopted by the Librarian before enactment and by the Register after enactment would be recognized. It would not change the Librarian’s pre-enactment authority or the Register’s post-enactment authority.
New leadership hiring rules for Library and Government Publishing
If enacted, leaders for the Library of Congress and the Government Publishing Office (GPO) would be chosen from three recommended names. House and Senate leaders would appoint by majority vote. Appointments would be based on fitness, not political party. Each office would have a Deputy who must be named within 120 days and would act when the top job is vacant or absent. For budget law, the Librarian and GPO Director would not be treated as political appointees. These appointment rules would apply to appointments made on or after enactment, and pay changes would start the first day of the first pay period after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9]
VA • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov