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H.R. 1234

U.S. HouseIn Senate Committee

Summary

H.R. 1234, to direct the Librarian of Congress to promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability of the Annotated Constitution and pocket-part supplements by replacing the hardbound versions with digital versions, was introduced in the House on Feb 12, 2025 by Rep. Stephanie Bice (R) with 3 co-sponsors. It was referred to Rules And Administration, and last saw action on Apr 1, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.


Record

Text

H.R. 1234 has 3 co-sponsors.

hb1234/engrossed-in-house.txt
119 HR 1234 EH: To direct the Librarian of Congress to promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability of the Annotated Constitution and pocket-part supplements by replacing the hardbound versions with digital versions.
U.S. House of Representatives
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I
119th CONGRESS 1st Session
H. R. 1234
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AN ACT
To direct the Librarian of Congress to promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability of the Annotated Constitution and pocket-part supplements by replacing the hardbound versions with digital versions.
1.
Repeal requirement for Congressional Research Service to prepare Annotated Constitution and supplements in hardbound version
(a)
Repeal
The first section of Public Law 91–589 ( 2 U.S.C. 168 ) is amended—
(1)
by striking the Librarian of Congress and inserting (a) subject to subsection (b), the Librarian of Congress ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(b)
(1)
Upon the completion of the October 2031 term of the Supreme Court and upon the completion of each tenth October term of the Supreme Court thereafter, the Librarian of Congress shall have prepared a digital decennial revised edition of the Constitution Annotated, which shall contain annotations of all decisions theretofore rendered by the Supreme Court construing provisions of the Constitution, in place of the hardbound decennial revised edition of the Constitution Annotated described in subsection (a)(3).
(2)
Upon the completion of the October 2025 term of the Supreme Court and upon the completion of each subsequent October term of the Supreme Court beginning in an odd-numbered year (the final digit of which is not a 1), the Librarian shall have prepared a digital cumulative pocket-part supplement to the most recent decennial revised edition of the Constitution Annotated, which shall contain cumulative annotations of all such decisions rendered by the Supreme Court which were not included in the most recent revised edition of the Constitution Annotated, in place of the hardbound editions of the cumulative pocket-part supplement described in subsection (a)(4).
.
(b)
Ensuring availability of digital versions
Section 2 of Public Law 91–589 ( 2 U.S.C. 168a ) is amended—
(1)
by striking All hardbound and inserting (a) All hardbound ; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(b)
(1)
The digital decennial revised editions of the Constitution Annotated prepared under subsection (b)(1) of the first section of this Joint Resolution and the digital cumulative pocket-part supplements prepared under subsection (b)(2) of the first section of this Joint Resolution shall be available at a public website of the Library of Congress.
(2)
The Librarian of Congress shall ensure the continuing availability of the documents referred to in paragraph (1) to Congress and the public.
.
(c)
Repeal of additional printing requirements
(1)
Mandatory printing of additional copies
Section 3 of Public Law 91–589 ( 2 U.S.C. 168b ) is amended—
(A)
by striking There shall be printed and inserting (a) There shall be printed ; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(b)
Subsection (a) does not apply after completion of the October 2025 term of the Supreme Court, and the Librarian of Congress shall provide the decennial revised editions of the Constitution Annotated and the cumulative pocket part supplements prepared under this Joint Resolution exclusively in a digital format available at a public website of the Library of Congress.
.
(2)
Printing of additional copies pursuant to concurrent resolution
Section 4 of Public Law 91–589 ( 2 U.S.C. 168c ) is repealed.
Passed the House of Representatives March 31, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-02-12
  2. Passed House2025-03-31
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Feb 12, 2025

hb1234/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (02/12/2025)

This bill replaces the requirement for the Library of Congress to prepare hardbound versions of the Constitution Annotated and supplements with a requirement for the Library to instead prepare digital versions and publish them online.

The new requirement applies to the supplement after the Supreme Court term beginning October 2025 and all subsequent editions.

Sponsors

Rep. Stephanie Bice (R) sponsors H.R. 1234, and 3 members have co-sponsored it, all of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 1234 went before 2 committees: Rules and Administration and Committee on House Administration.

Rules and Administration
Rules and Administration
Referred To · Apr 1, 2025 · 87 Bills
Committee on House Administration
Committee on House Administration
Referred To · Feb 12, 2025 · 196 Bills

Actions

H.R. 1234 has taken 9 actions since Feb 12, 2025, the latest on Apr 1, 2025.

ChamberAction
Apr 1, 2025
Senate
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.Rules and Administration Committee
Mar 31, 202516:20
House
Mrs. Bice moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Mar 31, 202516:20
House
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1345
Mar 31, 202516:20
House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1234.
Mar 31, 202516:30
House
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1345-1346)

Votes

H.R. 1234 has not gone to a roll call.

1 bill is related to H.R. 1234.

Titles

H.R. 1234 goes by 3 titles.

  • To direct the Librarian of Congress to promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability of the Annotated Constitution and pocket-part supplements by replacing the hardbound versions with digital versions. — Display Title
  • To direct the Librarian of Congress to promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability of the Annotated Constitution and pocket-part supplements by replacing the hardbound versions with digital versions. — Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
  • To direct the Librarian of Congress to promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability of the Annotated Constitution and pocket-part supplements by replacing the hardbound versions with digital versions. — Official Title as Introduced

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 1234 under Congress, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 5 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 1234’s is Congress.

hr1234/policy-areas.txt
CongressAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 1234 carries 5 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Books and print media to Library of Congress.

hr1234/subjects.txt
Books and print mediaConstitution and constitutional amendmentsDigital mediaGovernment information and archivesLibrary of Congress

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 1234, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mrs. BICE:H.R. 1234.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article I, Section 8[Page H677]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com