H.R. 6028 · Passed House · Congress

Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act

Sponsor: H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

What it does

• Transfer appointment power for the Librarian of Congress and GPO Director from the President to a bipartisan congressional commission, removing regard for political affiliation.
• Replace presidential removal power with a requirement that the Librarian and GPO Director be removed only by majority vote of House and Senate majority and minority leaders.
• Make the Register of Copyrights a presidential appointee requiring Senate confirmation, with a 10-year term limit, replacing the current system where the Librarian appoints the Register.
• Separate the Copyright Office from Library of Congress supervisory authority and allow LOC and other legislative agencies to provide support services to the Copyright Office.
• Require the Librarian and GPO Director to appoint deputies within a set timeframe and require GPO to establish and maintain a human capital management system.

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. Specifically, the bill requires the Librarian 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 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 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. LOC and other legislative agencies may provide support services to the Copyright Office. The bill requires the Register of Copyrights to be (1) a U.S. citizen with a background and experience in copyright law, and (2) appointed by…

Latest action

Jun 9, 2026: Received in the Senate.

Committee: House Committee on House Administration