Vegetable Ink Printing Act of 1994
PL 103-348 (S.716), enacted 10/06/1994

PUBLIC LAW 103-348—OCT. 6, 1994 
108 STAT. 3133 
Public Law 103-348 
103d Congress 
An Act 
To require that all Federal lithographic printing be performed using ink made 
from vegetable oil and materials derived from other renewable resources, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Vegetable Ink Printing Act 
of 1994". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 
(1) More than 95 percent of Federal printing involving 
documents or publications is performed using lithographic inks. 
(2) Various types of oil, including petroleum and vegetable 
oil, are used in lithographic ink. 
(3) Increasing the amount of vegetable oil used in a litho-
graphic ink would— 
(A) help reduce the Nation's use of nonrenewable 
energy resources; 
(B) result in the use of products that are less damaging 
to the environment; 
(C) result in a reduction of volatile organic compotmd 
emissions; and 
(D) increase the use of renewable agricultural products. 
(4) The technology exists to use vegetable oil in lithographic 
ink and, in some applications, to use lithographic ink that 
uses no petroleum distillates in the liquid portion of the ink. 
(5) Some lithographic inks have contained vegetable oils 
for many years; other lithographic inks have more recently 
begun to use vegetable oil. 
(6) According to the Government Printing Office, using 
vegetable oil-based ink appears to add httle if any additional 
cost to Government printing. 
(7) Use of vegetable oil-based ink in Federal Government 
printing should further develop— 
(A) the commercial viability of vegetable oil-based ink, 
which could result in demand, for domestic use alone, for 
2,500,000,000 pounds of vegetable crops or 500,000,000 
pounds of vegetable oil; and 
(B) a product that could help the United States retain 
or enlarge its share of the world market for vegetable 
oil-ink. 
Oct. 6, 1994 
[S. 716] 
Vegetable Ink 
Printing Act of 
1994. 
44 u s e 501 note. 
44 u s e 501 note. 
108 STAT. 3134 
PUBLIC LAW 103-348—OCT. 6, 1994 
(b) PURPOSE.—^The purpose of this Act is to require that all 
lithographic printing using ink containing oil that is performed 
or procured by a Federal agency shall use ink containing the maxi-
mum amounts of vegetable oil and materials derived from other 
renewable resources that— 
(1) are technologically feasible, and 
(2) result in printing costs that Eire competitive with print-
ing using petroleum-based inks. 
44 use 501 note. SEC. 3. FEDERAL PRINTING REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) GENERAL RULE.—^Notwithstanding any other law, and except 
as provided in subsection (b), a Federal agency may not perform 
or procure lithographic printing that uses ink containing oil if 
the ink contains less than the following percentage of vegetable 
oil: 
(1) In the case of news ink, 40 percent. 
(2) In the case of sheet-fed ink, 20 percent. 
(3) In the case of forms ink, 20 percent. 
(4) In the case of heat-set ink, 10 percent. 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.— 
(1) EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to litho-
graphic printing performed or procured by a Federal agency, 
if— 
(A) the head of the agency determines, Eifter consulta-
tion with the Public Printer and within the 3-year period 
ending on the date of the commencement of the printing 
or the date of that procurement, respectively, that vegetable 
oil-based ink is not suitable to meet specific, identified 
requirements of the agency related to the printing; or 
(B) the Public Printer determines— 
(i) within the 3-month period ending on the date 
of the commencement of the printing, in the case of 
printing of materials that are printed at intervals of 
less than 6 months, or 
(ii) before the date of the commencement of the 
printing, in the case of printing of materials that are 
printed at intervals of 6 months or more; 
that the cost of performing the printing using vegetable 
oil-based ink is significantly greater than the cost of 
performing the printing using other available ink. 
Reports. 
(2) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 30 days after 
making a determination under paragraph (1)(A), the head of 
a Federal agency shall report the determination to the Commit-
tee on Government Operations and the Committee on House 
Administration of the House of Representatives, and the 
Committee on Rules of the Senate. 
(c) FEDERAL AGENCY DEFINED.—In this Act, the term "Federal 
agency" means— 
(1) an executive department, military department, Grovem-
ment corporation. Government-controlled corporation, or other 
establishment in the executive branch of the Government 
(including the Executive Office of the President), or any 
independent regulatory agency; and 
PUBLIC LAW 103-348—OCT. 6, 1994 
108 STAT. 3135 
(2) an establishment or component of the legislative or 
judicial branch of the Government. 
Approved October 6, 1994. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 716: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 103-625, Pt. 1 (a)mm. on Government Operations). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 103-178 (Comm. on Rules and Administration). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 139 (1993): Nov. 18, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 140 (1994): Sept. 20, considered and passed House, amended. 
Sept. 27, Senate concurred in House amendments.