I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6028 
To modify the appointment and removal process for certain legislative branch 
officers, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 12, 2025 
Mr. GRIFFITH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee 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 con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To modify the appointment and removal process for certain 
legislative branch officers, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Legislative Branch 
Agencies Clarification Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Librarian of Congress Suc-
cession Modernization Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–86; 
129 Stat. 675), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating section 3 as section 5; 
(2) by redesignating section 2 as section 3; 
(3) by inserting after section 1 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this Act: 
‘‘(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘commission’ 
means a congressional commission consisting of the 
oversight committee leadership and the House and 
Senate leadership. 
‘‘(2) DEPUTY LIBRARIAN.—The term ‘Deputy 
Librarian’ means the Deputy Librarian of Congress. 
‘‘(3) HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERSHIP.—The 
term ‘House and Senate leadership’ means the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the major-
ity leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the 
House of Representatives, and the minority leader of 
the Senate. 
‘‘(4) LIBRARIAN.—The term ‘Librarian’ means 
the Librarian of Congress. 
‘‘(5) OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE
LEADERSHIP.— 
The term ‘oversight committee leadership’ means the 
chair and ranking minority member of the Com-
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mittee on House Administration of the House of 
Representatives and the chairman and ranking mi-
nority member of the Committee on Rules and Ad-
ministration of the Senate.’’; and 
(4) in section 3, as so redesignated— 
(A) by striking subsection (a) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(a) APPOINTMENT.— 
‘‘(1) COMMISSION.—The Librarian shall be ap-
pointed by the commission in accordance with the 
procedures specified in paragraph (2), without re-
gard to political affiliation, and solely on the basis 
of fitness to perform the duties of the office. 
‘‘(2) APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES.— 
‘‘(A) RECOMMENDATION
OF
INDIVID-
UALS.—If there is a vacancy in the position of 
Librarian, the oversight committee leadership 
shall jointly recommend 3 individuals for ap-
pointment to the vacant office. 
‘‘(B) SELECTION BY LEADERS.—The Li-
brarian shall be appointed from among the 3 
individuals recommended under subparagraph 
(A) upon a majority vote of the House and Sen-
ate leadership.’’; 
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(B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘of Con-
gress’’; 
(C) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘of Con-
gress, by and with the advice and consent of the 
Senate,’’; and 
(D) by striking subsection (d) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(d) REMOVAL.—The Librarian may be removed 
from office at any time upon a majority vote of the House 
and Senate leadership.’’. 
(b) PAY.—Section 904 of the Supplemental Appro-
priations Act, 1983 (2 U.S.C. 136a–2) is amended— 
(1) 
by 
inserting 
‘‘(a)’’ 
before 
‘‘Notwith-
standing’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) The Librarian of Congress shall not be consid-
ered to serve under a political appointment for purposes 
of section 747 of the Financial Services and General Gov-
ernment Appropriations Act, 2024 (division B of Public 
Law 118–47; 138 Stat. 585), or any other subsequently 
enacted similar provision of law.’’. 
SEC. 3. DEPUTY LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS. 
The Librarian of Congress Succession Modernization 
Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–86; 129 Stat. 675), is 
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‘‘(2) upon a majority vote of the House and 
Senate leadership, the individual recommended 
under paragraph (1) shall be appointed as the Dep-
uty Librarian. 
‘‘(d) NOTIFICATION.—If the position of Deputy Li-
brarian becomes vacant, the Librarian shall immediately 
notify the members of the commission. 
‘‘(e) SERVICE AS ACTING LIBRARIAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Deputy Librarian shall 
act as Librarian if the Librarian is absent or dis-
abled or there is no Librarian. 
‘‘(2) ABSENCE, DISABILITY, OR VACANCY IN OF-
FICE OF DEPUTY LIBRARIAN.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of para-
graph (1), if the Deputy Librarian is also ab-
sent or disabled or there is no Deputy Librar-
ian— 
‘‘(i) the oversight committee leader-
ship shall jointly recommend an individual 
to be designated to serve as acting Librar-
ian; and 
‘‘(ii) upon a majority vote of the 
members of the House and Senate leader-
ship, the individual recommended under 
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clause (i) shall be designated to serve as 
acting Librarian. 
‘‘(B) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—An indi-
vidual designated as acting Librarian under 
subparagraph (A) may serve until— 
‘‘(i) the end of the absence or dis-
ability of the Librarian or the Deputy Li-
brarian; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of vacancies in both 
positions, a Librarian has been appointed 
under section 3. 
‘‘(3) AUTHORITY.—An officer serving as acting 
Librarian under paragraph (1) or (2) shall perform 
all the duties and exercise all the authorities of the 
Librarian, including the authority to delegate the 
duties and authorities of the Librarian.’’. 
SEC. 4. DIRECTOR OF THE GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OF-
FICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 3 of title 44, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by inserting before section 301 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 300. Definitions 
‘‘In this chapter— 
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‘‘(1) the term ‘commission’ means a congres-
sional commission consisting of the oversight com-
mittee leadership and the House and Senate leader-
ship; 
‘‘(2) the term ‘House and Senate leadership’ 
means the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
the majority leader of the Senate, the minority lead-
er of the House of Representatives, and the minority 
leader of the Senate; and 
‘‘(3) the term ‘oversight committee leadership’ 
means the chair and ranking minority member of 
the Committee on House Administration of the 
House of Representatives and the chairman and 
ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules 
and Administration of the Senate.’’; and 
(2) in section 301— 
(A) by striking subsection (a) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(a)(1) The Government Publishing Office shall be 
headed by a Director. 
‘‘(2)(A) The Director shall be appointed by the com-
mission in accordance with the procedures specified in 
subparagraph (B), without regard to political affiliation, 
and solely on the basis of fitness to perform the duties 
of the office. 
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‘‘(B)(i) If there is a vacancy in the position of Direc-
tor, the oversight committee leadership shall jointly rec-
ommend 3 individuals for appointment to the vacant of-
fice. 
‘‘(ii) The Director shall be appointed from among the 
3 individuals recommended under clause (i), upon a ma-
jority vote of the House and Senate leadership.’’; 
(B) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘, by and 
with the advice and consent of the Senate,’’; 
and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) The Director may be removed from office at any 
time upon a majority vote of the members of the House 
and Senate leadership.’’. 
(b) PAY.—Section 303 of title 44, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a)’’ before ‘‘The annual rate 
of pay for the Director of the Government Pub-
lishing Office’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) The Director of the Government Publishing Of-
fice shall not be considered to serve under a political ap-
pointment for purposes of section 747 of the Financial 
Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 
2024 (division B of Public Law 118–47; 138 Stat. 585), 
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or any other subsequently enacted similar provision of 
law.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions for chapter 3 of title 44, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting before the item relating to section 
301 the following: 
‘‘300. Definitions.’’. 
SEC. 5. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE GOVERNMENT PUB-
LISHING OFFICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 302 of title 44, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 302. Deputy Director of the Government Pub-
lishing Office: appointment; duties 
‘‘(a) In this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘Deputy Director’ means the 
Deputy Director of the Government Publishing Of-
fice; and 
‘‘(2) the term ‘Director’ means the Director of 
the Government Publishing Office. 
‘‘(b)(1) The Director shall appoint a suitable person 
to be the Deputy Director. 
‘‘(2) The Deputy Director shall supervise the build-
ings occupied by the Government Publishing Office and 
perform any other duties required by the Director. 
‘‘(c) The Director shall appoint a Deputy Director 
under subsection (b)(1) not later than 120 days after— 
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‘‘(1) the date on which the Director is ap-
pointed under section 301, if there is no Deputy Di-
rector on the date of the appointment; or 
‘‘(2) the date on which a vacancy arises in the 
office of the Deputy Director. 
‘‘(d) If the Director does not appoint a Deputy Direc-
tor on or before the applicable date specified in subsection 
(c)— 
‘‘(1) the oversight committee leadership shall 
jointly recommend an individual for appointment to 
the vacant office; and 
‘‘(2) upon a majority vote of the House and 
Senate leadership, the individual recommended 
under paragraph (1) shall be appointed as the Dep-
uty Director. 
‘‘(e) If the position of Deputy Director becomes va-
cant, the Director shall immediately notify the members 
of the commission.’’. 
(b) SERVICE AS ACTING DIRECTOR.—Section 304 of 
title 44, United States Code, is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
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‘‘§ 304. Director of the Government Publishing Office: 
vacancy in office 
‘‘(a) In this section, the terms ‘Deputy Director’ and 
‘Director’ have the meanings given such terms in section 
302(a). 
‘‘(b) The Deputy Director shall act as Director if the 
Director is absent or disabled or there is no Director. 
‘‘(c)(1) For purposes of subsection (b), if the Deputy 
Director is also absent or disabled or there is no Deputy 
Director— 
‘‘(A) the oversight committee leadership shall 
jointly recommend an individual to be designated to 
serve as acting Director; and 
‘‘(B) upon a majority vote of the House and 
Senate leadership, the individual recommended 
under subparagraph (A) shall be designated as the 
acting Director. 
‘‘(2) An individual designated as acting Director 
under paragraph (1) may serve until— 
‘‘(A) the end of the absence or disability of the 
Director or the Deputy Director; or 
‘‘(B) in the case of vacancies in both positions, 
a Director has been appointed under section 301. 
‘‘(d) An officer serving as acting Director under sub-
section (b) or (c) shall perform all the duties and exercise 
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all the authorities of the Director, including the authority 
to delegate the duties and authorities of the Director.’’. 
SEC. 6. COPYRIGHT OFFICE. 
(a) REMOVING SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY
OF LI-
BRARY OF CONGRESS OVER COPYRIGHT OFFICE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Title 17, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) in chapter 1— 
(i) in section 111(d)— 
(I) in paragraph (2), in the sec-
ond sentence, by striking ‘‘Librarian 
of Congress’’ and inserting ‘‘Register 
of Copyrights’’; and 
(II) in paragraph (4)— 
(aa) in subparagraph (B), in 
the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘Librarian of Congress’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Register of Copyrights’’; 
and 
(bb) in subparagraph (C), 
by striking ‘‘Librarian of Con-
gress’’ and inserting ‘‘Register of 
Copyrights’’; 
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(ii) in section 112(e)(5), by striking 
‘‘Librarian of Congress’’ and inserting 
‘‘Register of Copyrights’’; 
(iii) in section 114(f)(2), by striking 
‘‘Librarian of Congress’’ and inserting 
‘‘Register of Copyrights’’; 
(iv) in section 115(d)— 
(I) in paragraph (3)(A)(iv), by 
striking ‘‘, with the approval of the 
Librarian of Congress pursuant to 
section 702,’’; and 
(II) in paragraph (5)(A)(iv), by 
striking ‘‘, with the approval of the 
Librarian of Congress pursuant to 
section 702,’’; 
(v) in section 118(b)(2), by striking 
‘‘Librarian of Congress’’ and inserting 
‘‘Register of Copyrights’’; and 
(vi) in section 119(b)— 
(I) in paragraph (3), in the sec-
ond sentence, by striking ‘‘Librarian 
of Congress’’ and inserting ‘‘Register 
of Copyrights’’; and 
(II) in paragraph (5)— 
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(aa) in subparagraph (B), in 
the second sentence, by striking 
‘‘Librarian of Congress’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Register of Copyrights’’; 
and 
(bb) in subparagraph (C), 
by striking ‘‘Librarian of Con-
gress’’ and inserting ‘‘Register of 
Copyrights’’; 
(B) in chapter 7— 
(i) in section 701— 
(I) in subsection (a)— 
(aa) in the first sentence, by 
striking ‘‘of the Library of Con-
gress’’; and 
(bb) by striking the second 
sentence and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘The Register of Copy-
rights shall be appointed by the 
President, by and with the advice 
and consent of the Senate, but 
before the President makes such 
an appointment, the chair and 
ranking minority member of each 
of the Committee on the Judici-
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ary of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on the 
Judiciary of the Senate shall 
jointly recommend 3 individuals 
whom the President may consider 
in making the appointment. The 
subordinate officers and employ-
ees of the Copyright Office shall 
be appointed by the Register of 
Copyrights.’’; 
(II) in subsection (d)— 
(aa) in the first sentence, by 
striking ‘‘the Librarian of’’; and 
(bb) by striking the second 
sentence; and 
(III) in subsection (f), by striking 
the second and third sentences and in-
serting the following: ‘‘The Register of 
Copyrights shall establish not more 
than 4 positions for Associate Reg-
isters of Copyrights and shall make 
appointments to those positions.’’; 
(ii) in section 702, by striking the sec-
ond sentence; and 
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‘‘(g) SUPPORT AGREEMENTS; REIMBURSEMENT.— 
The Library of Congress and any other agency or office 
in the legislative branch of the Federal Government may 
provide administrative, facilities, financial management, 
information technology, legal, security, and other appro-
priate support to the Copyright Office as provided under 
an agreement for services entered into by the applicable 
agency or office and the Copyright Office.’’. 
SEC. 7. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE PERSONNEL 
REFORMS. 
(a) CONGRESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.— 
(1) APPLICATION OF THE CONGRESSIONAL AC-
COUNTABILITY
ACT
TO
THE
GOVERNMENT
PUB-
LISHING OFFICE.—Section 101(a) of the Congres-
sional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 
1301(a)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) in subparagraph (J), by striking 
‘‘or’’; 
(ii) in subparagraph (K), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; 
and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(L) the Government Publishing Office.’’; 
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