H.R. 10204 · Passed House · Congress

Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act

Sponsor: H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

What it does

• Transfer appointment authority for the Librarian of Congress and Director of the Government Publishing Office from the President to a bipartisan congressional commission, eliminating political affiliation considerations.
• Require the Librarian of Congress and Director of GPO to be removed only by majority vote of the majority and minority leaders of both chambers of Congress.
• Remove the Library of Congress's supervisory authority over the Copyright Office and grant independent supervisory authority directly to the Register of Copyrights.
• Establish an Office of Inspector General within the Copyright Office.
• Require the Librarian of Congress and Director of GPO to each appoint a deputy within a set time frame.

Official summary

Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act This bill revises the procedures for appointing and removing the Librarian of Congress, the Director of the Government Publishing Office (GPO), and the Register of Copyrights. The bill also establishes an Office of Inspector General within the Copyright Office and requires GPO to establish a human management system. Specifically, the bill requires the Librarian of Congress and the Director of GPO to be appointed by a bipartisan congressional commission, based on procedures outlined by the bill and without regard to political affiliation. (Currently, these positions are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.) The Librarian of Congress and the Director of GPO may only be removed from office by a majority vote of the majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Additionally, the bill requires the Librarian of Congress and the Director of GPO to each appoint a deputy within a set time frame and outlines related procedures. The bill removes the Library of Congress's (LOC's) supervisory authority over the Copyright Office and instead transfers those powers directly to the…

Latest action

Sep 15, 2026: Received in the Senate.

Committee: House Oversight and Government Reform