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H.R. 6517House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

To modify the appointment process for the Librarian of Congress, the Comptroller General, and the Director of the Government Publishing Office, and for other purposes.

Sponsored by Ed CaseRep. Ed Case (D-HI)
Introduced December 9, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated December 27, 2025 at 5:41 AM UTC

This bill shifts the way three senior officials—the Librarian of Congress, the Comptroller General, and the Director of the Government Publishing Office—are appointed. Instead of presidential nomination, each would be recommended by a bipartisan commission of congressional leaders and then formally appointed by a concurrent resolution of Congress. The bill also sets term limits for the Librarian, establishes removal procedures requiring a supermajority vote in both chambers, and updates related statutes.

Key Provisions

  • Librarian of Congress would be chosen by a bipartisan commission (House Speaker and minority leader, Senate majority and minority leaders, and one Republican and one Democrat from the Joint Committee on the Library) and then appointed by a concurrent resolution of Congress; the Librarian would serve a ten‑year term and could be removed only by a three‑fifths vote of both the House and Senate; the 2015 Librarian Succession Modernization Act is repealed.
  • The Comptroller General’s appointment process would be changed in the same way: a commission (structured like the Librarian commission) would recommend a candidate, and Congress would appoint the Comptroller General by a concurrent resolution; related statutory language is updated to reflect this new process.
  • The Director of the Government Publishing Office would be selected by a commission (House and Senate leaders plus one Republican and one Democrat from the Joint Committee on Printing) and appointed by a concurrent resolution of Congress; the Director could be removed at any time by a three‑fifths vote of both chambers.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 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.

Committee on House Administration

December 9, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

December 9, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 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.

Committee on House Administration

December 9, 2025

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 6517 on the floor

1 Democrat
Ed Case
Rep. Ed CaseD-HI-1 · Jun 10, 2026

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act, which was introduced by my colleague, Representative Griffith. As the independence of the legislative branch…

Record

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued December 9, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 6517

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 9, 2025

Mr. Case (for himself, Ms. Norton, and Mr. Tonko) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 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

A BILL

To modify the appointment process for the Librarian of Congress, the Comptroller General, and the Director of the Government Publishing Office, and for other purposes.

1.

Librarian of Congress

(a)

Appointment

The Librarian of Congress shall be appointed by the adoption by Congress of a concurrent resolution. The concurrent resolution shall provide for the appointment of the individual selected by the commission established under subsection (b).

(b)

Commission

There is established a commission for the purposes of recommending an individual to be appointed as Librarian of Congress under subsection (a). The commission established under this subsection shall consist of the following:

(1)

The Speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives.

(2)

The majority and minority leaders of the Senate.

(3)

One Republican and Democrat Member each from the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library.

(c)

Term of service

The Librarian of Congress shall be appointed for a term of 10 years.

(d)

Removal

The Librarian of Congress may be removed from office at any time upon an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members duly chosen or sworn in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(e)

Conforming amendment

The Librarian of Congress Succession Modernization Act of 2015 (2 U.S.C. 136 et seq.) is repealed.

2.

Comptroller General

(a)

In general

Section 703 of title 31, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsections (a) through (f) as subsections (b) through (g), respectively;

(2)

by inserting before subsection (b), as redesignated by paragraph (1), the following:

(a)

The Comptroller General shall be appointed by the adoption by Congress of a concurrent resolution. The concurrent resolution shall provide for the appointment of the individual selected by the commission established under subsection (b)(2).

;

(3)

in subsection (b), as so redesignated—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by striking Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General are and inserting Deputy Comptroller General is;

(B)

in paragraph (2), in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking the President and inserting the Congress or the President, respectively,; and

(C)

by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:

(3)

A commission established because of a vacancy in the office of the Comptroller General shall recommend one individual. The Congress may ask the commission to recommend additional individuals.

; and

(4)

in subsection (f)(1)(B), as so redesignated, by striking joint resolution of Congress and inserting with respect to the Comptroller General, by concurrent resolution of Congress, and with respect to the Deputy Comptroller General, by joint resolution of Congress.

(b)

Technical and conforming amendment

Section 772(a) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking section 703(e)(1) and inserting section 703(f)(1).

3.

Director of the Government Publishing Office

Section 301 of title 44, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

301.

Director of the Government Publishing Office: appointment

(a)

The Director of the Government Publishing Office shall be appointed by the adoption by Congress of a concurrent resolution. The concurrent resolution shall provide for the appointment of the individual selected by the commission established under subsection (b).

(b)

There is established a commission for the purposes of recommending an individual to be appointed as Director under subsection (a). The commission established under this subsection shall consist of the following:

(1)

The Speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives.

(2)

The majority and minority leaders of the Senate.

(3)

One Republican and Democrat Member each from the Joint Committee of Congress on Printing.

(c)

The Director may be removed from office at any time upon an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members duly chosen or sworn in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

.