Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act
Introduced Sep 1, 2026 by Rep. H. Morgan Griffith
The House passed it. The Senate has to pass it before it can reach the President.
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 Register of Copyrights. LOC and other legislative agencies may provide support services to the Copyright Office.
Read the full summary on Congress.govSummary by the Congressional Research Service.
No recorded roll-call vote on this bill — it may have passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record individual votes.
- Sep 15, 2026Received in the Senate.
- Sep 14, 2026Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Sep 14, 2026On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5551-5556)
- Sep 14, 2026Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- Sep 14, 2026DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 10204.
- Sep 14, 2026Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5551-5557)
- Sep 14, 2026Mr. Griffith moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Sep 1, 2026Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sep 1, 2026Introduced in House