HRES1212119th Congress

Expressing support for the staff of public, school, academic, and special libraries in the United States and the essential services those libraries provide to communities, recognizing the need for funding commensurate with the broad scope of social service and community supports provided by libraries, preserving the right of all citizens of the United States to freely access information and resources in their communities, supporting a strong union voice for library workers, and defending the civil rights of library staff.

Sponsored By: Representative Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]

Introduced

Summary

Backing library staff and protecting public access to information. This resolution would express formal support for public, school, academic, and special library staff, call for funding that matches libraries' expanded community roles, and reaffirm the right of people to access information freely.

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  • Families and communities: Libraries are recognized as places that provide books, programming for all ages, free internet, help with job searches, and safe spaces for people experiencing homelessness.
  • Library workers: The resolution supports a strong union voice, affirms workers' rights to organize and speak out, and calls for protection from threats or intimidation on the job.
  • Public health and safety: It highlights libraries' role in crisis response, including distributing personal protective equipment, offering testing during COVID, and providing resources related to the opioid epidemic.
  • Funding and equity: The House urges prioritizing full funding for library services at federal, state, and local levels and warns that eliminating the Institute of Museum and Library Services would harm rural, Tribal, and underserved communities.
  • Intellectual freedom and censorship: The resolution affirms access to diverse collections, notes PEN America reported 6,870 instances of book bans in 2024–2025, and objects to terminating staff who refuse to remove challenged materials.
  • Civic recognition: It supports the goals of National Library Week, April 19–25, 2026, as a moment to celebrate libraries' public service.

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Bill Overview

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Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]

WA • D

Cosponsors

  • Barragan

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Bonamici

    OR • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Cohen

    TN • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Grijalva

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Johnson (GA)

    GA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • McCollum

    MN • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • McGovern

    MA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Pingree

    ME • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Schakowsky

    IL • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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