119th Congress · introduced in the House · Sep 1, 2026
Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Sep 15, 2026): Received in the Senate.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Congress
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Sep 1, 2026)
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. 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.
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 the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. (Currently, the Register is appointed by the Librarian.) Before the President makes the appointment, the chair and ranking minority member of each specified committee must jointly recommend three individuals whom the President may consider in making the appointment. The bill limits the term of office for the Register to 10 years, but the individual may be reappointed.
Show the full summary (3 more paragraphs)No cosponsors.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Received in the Senate.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5551-5556)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 10204.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5551-5557)
Mr. Griffith moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Referred 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.
Referred 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.
Referred 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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
Congressional agencies · Congressional operations and organization · Congressional oversight · Federal officials · Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management · Government Publishing Office (GPO) · Intellectual property · Libraries and archives · Library of Congress
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 23, 2026.
5 citations.
MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION INC · lobbying firm or registrant: MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION, INC.
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Communications/Broadcasting/Radio/TV
$610,000
Spent on own lobbying
…ore Accountability Act H.R. 10364, American Copyright Protection Act of 2026 H.R. 10582/S. 5552, Motion Picture Television and Entertainment Revitalization Act H.R. 10204, Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act H.R. 10575/S. 5529, DEFEND IP Act of 2026
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION INC · lobbying firm or registrant: MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION, INC.
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Computer Industry
$610,000
Spent on own lobbying
…ore Accountability Act H.R. 10364, American Copyright Protection Act of 2026 H.R. 10582/S. 5552, Motion Picture Television and Entertainment Revitalization Act H.R. 10204, Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act H.R. 10575/S. 5529, DEFEND IP Act of 2026 S. 4349, Parents Over Platforms Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION INC · lobbying firm or registrant: MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION, INC.
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Copyright/Patent/Trademark
$610,000
Spent on own lobbying
…. 10575, DEFEND IP Act H.R. 10364, American Copyright Protection Act of 2026 H.R. 10582/S. 5552, Motion Picture Television and Entertainment Revitalization Act H.R. 10204, Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION INC · lobbying firm or registrant: MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION, INC.
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Government Issues
$610,000
Spent on own lobbying
H.R. 10204 Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW ASSOCIATION (AIPLA) · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW ASSOCIATION (AIPLA)
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 19, 2026 · issue area: Copyright/Patent/Trademark
$10,000
Spent on own lobbying
…eterring Extraterritorial Foreign Exploitation of Networks Damaging Intellectual Property (DEFEND IP) Act of 2026 S. 5104/H.R. 9681, Fair Seeds for Farmers Act H.R. 10204, Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act H.R 10364 American Copyright Protection Act of 2026 H.R. 10026, Honoring Circuit Judge Pauline Newman Act of 202…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing