GPO Modernization Act of 2026

This section updates the GPO's authority regarding the sale and disposal of government documents. It grants the Superintendent of Documents more flexibility in pricing and authorizing resale, removes a requirement for departmental approval to sell documents, and allows the Superintendent to set rules for disposing of unneeded documents.

This section formally establishes the Public Information Programs within the GPO, outlining their purpose to ensure free, equitable, and convenient public access to government information. It lists specific programs like the Federal Depository Library Program and the National Collection of U.S. Government Public Information.

This provision requires all federal government components to actively collaborate with the Superintendent of Documents. They must notify the Superintendent about all government public information they issue, both tangible and digital, and work together to ensure digital content remains permanently accessible. Agencies also need to furnish tangible publications not produced by the GPO.

This section updates the rules for designating depository libraries, specifically allowing the Superintendent of Documents to designate 'digital-only depository libraries.' It also mandates that the Superintendent assess potential depository libraries for their sustainability and ability to provide access to both physical and digital content before designation.

This section revises the role of regional depositories, allowing them to share responsibilities across states and mandating the establishment of at least four multistate collection service areas for collaborative collection and service coordination. It also clarifies that all distributed publications are part of the National Collection of U.S. Government Public Information and remain government property.

This section mandates the Superintendent of Documents to provide descriptive cataloging for all government public information, using industry standards. It requires the creation and maintenance of a free, online, comprehensive catalog of both historical and current, tangible and digital government information, showing where it can be obtained or accessed.

This section formally establishes the National Collection of United States Government Public Information, declaring government publications as national assets. It tasks the Superintendent of Documents with ensuring free, permanent, and geographically distributed public access, applying information lifecycle management, and collaborating with stakeholders for preservation. The GPO Director is also mandated to operate a digital repository for online access, digitization, and preservation, while protecting user privacy.

This section updates the requirement for the Congressional Directory, mandating that it and its supplements be prepared and made available exclusively in a digital format on a public GPO website, rather than in print.

This section renames the Joint Committee on Printing to the Joint Committee on Publishing, updating its statutory references and structure within Title 44. It also removes outdated references to the former committee in other federal laws, reflecting a broader modernization of oversight for government publishing activities.

This section updates the GPO's procurement services to explicitly include 'publishing' alongside 'printing' and 'binding.' Crucially, it repeals several outdated sections of Title 44 that governed printing procurement, printing for executive departments, and other specific printing requirements, thereby streamlining the GPO's operational authorities.

This section modifies the GPO's relationship with the Federal Register. It removes the GPO Director from the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register, shifting oversight. It also clarifies GPO's role in publishing the Federal Register and mandates the printing of at least two physical copies for preservation and continuity of government purposes, even as digital publication becomes primary.

This section eliminates the requirement for the Congressional Research Service to prepare hardbound versions of the Constitution Annotated and its supplements. Instead, it mandates that these publications be produced and made available exclusively in digital format on a public Library of Congress website, with specific effective dates for the shift (e.g., after the October 2026 term for supplements). It also repeals mandatory printing requirements.