The U.S.
Government Printing Office
(
GPO) is an agency of the
legislative branch of the
United States federal
government.
The office prints and provides access to
documents produced by and for all three branches of the federal government,
including the Supreme Court
, the Congress, the Executive
Office of the President, executive
departments, and independent
agencies.
The primary mission of GPO is to make government publications
widely available, by gathering, cataloging, providing, and
preserving published information in all forms. GPO provides
information to the public through GPO Access, which contains
searchable databases of government information, and through the
Federal Depository Library
Program, which is a partnership with hundreds of libraries
throughout the country.
History
GPO began operations in accordance with
Congressional Joint Resolution 25 of June
23, 1860. The activities of GPO are defined in the public printing
and documents chapters of
Title 44 of the United States
Code. The
Public Printer, who
serves as the head of GPO, is appointed by the
President with the
advice and consent of the
Senate. The
Public Printer selects a Superintendent of
Documents.
Superintendent of Documents
U.S.
Government Printing Office
The Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) is in charge of the
dissemination of information at the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO).
The Superintendent is appointed by the
Public Printer, who serves as the head of
GPO. It is the Superintendent's responsibility to provide public
access to Government information published by the
United States Congress, Federal
agencies and the
United
States federal courts. This is accomplished through the Federal
Depository Library Program (FDLP), the Cataloging and Indexing
Program and the Publication Sales Program, as well as operation of
the
Federal Citizen
Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado.
Adelaide Hasse was the founder of the
Superintendent of Documents classification system.
Federal Depository Library Program
The
Federal
Depository Library Program (FDLP) was established by the
United States Congress to
ensure that the American public has access to its Government's
information. Since 1813,
depository libraries have
safeguarded the public's right to know by collecting, organizing,
maintaining, preserving, and assisting users with information from
the federal government. The FDLP provides Government information at
no cost to designated depository libraries in the U.S. and its
territories. These depository libraries, in turn, provide local,
no-fee access to Government information in an impartial environment
with professional assistance.
As institutions committed to equity of access and dedicated to free
and unrestricted public use, the nation's nearly 1,250 depository
libraries serve as one of the vital links between "We the people"
and our Government. Anyone can visit Federal depository libraries
and use the Federal depository collections which are filled with
information on careers, business opportunities, consumer
information, health and nutrition, legal and regulatory
information, demographics, and numerous other subjects.
The Depository Library Council (DLC) to the Public Printer was
established in 1972 to provide advice on policy matters relating to
the FDLP. The primary focus on the DLC's work is to advise the
Public Printer, the Superintendent of Documents, and appropriate
members of GPO staff on practical options for the efficient
management and operation of the FDLP.
The authority for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and
the legal obligations of designated Federal depository libraries
are found in 44 United States Code, 1901-1616.
Official journals of government
GPO now contracts out much of the federal government's printing but
prints the official journals of government in-house, including:
Passports
GPO has been producing
U.S. passports
since the 1920s.
The United States
Department of State
began issuing e-passports
in 2006. The e-Passport includes an electronic chip embedded
in the cover that contains the same information that is printed in
the passport: name, date of birth, gender, place of birth, dates of
passport issuance and expiration, passport number and photo image
of the traveler. The e-passport contains security features to
prevent the chips from being read, cloned or changed.
GPO produces the blank
e-Passport, while the Department of State
receives and processes applications and issues
individual passports.
GPO ceased production of legacy passports in May 2007, shifting
production entirely to e-passports. In 2007, GPO produced
approximately 20 million passports for the American public. GPO
produced a record 24 million blank passports in FY 2008. All
manufacturing is done at GPO’s main plant in Washington, D.C., and
at a secure production facility in Stennis, Mississippi.
In the spring of 2009, GPO opened a second secure production
facility on the grounds of the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
At this location GPO employees produce blank passport books that
help meet the American people's rising demand for passports. This
facility also meets the Department of State’s request for a secure
production site for blank passports outside of Washington D.C. With
the opening of this facility, more than 50 government jobs have
been created in the Gulf coast region.
Trusted Traveler Program card
The new Trusted Traveler Program card
produced by GPO.
GPO
designs, prints, encodes and personalizes Trusted Traveler Program
cards (NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST) for the Department of
Homeland Security
, Customs
and Border Protection (CBP). In 2009, GPO produced
650,000 of these cards. These cards give the bearer faster service
in crossing America’s northern and southern borders. The card gives
travelers the convenience of expedited CBP processing through
specially marked lanes at border crossings, similar to the E-Z pass
on toll roads.
These cards are one of the most secure federal identification cards
ever. Numerous security features protect it from tampering or
unauthorized use. These include those visible to the naked eye—such
as optically variable ink, laser engraved data, micro printing, and
an advanced hologram. Other features can only be verified by a
border protection officer using special equipment. The services GPO
provides in the development of the secure cards in the Trusted
Traveler Program, guarantees secure government control of the
supply chain, card design, personal data, personalization and
mailing.
The
Federal Digital System
(FDsys) gives the American people a one-stop site to authentic,
published government information. The system launched in 2009.
FDsys allows GPO to receive information from federal agencies in
all three branches of government and create a repository for
permanent, public access. FDsys offers incredible search
capabilities for users such as: searching by Congressional
Committee, a Member of Congress, keyword and date. FDsys replaced
GPOAccess in 2009 and releases with additional functionality will
occur throughout the next several years.
Practicing sustainable environmental stewardship is important in
all aspects of GPO business. While developing FDsys, the agency
focused on building an energy efficient, sustainable system. GPO
sought out the most energy efficient servers available, which will
reduce energy consumption by about 40 percent.
During its first year of operation, FDsys received several
honors.Government Computer News named FDsys one of the top 10
Government’s websites. The publication sited FDsys and other web
sites for providing more interactive tools for the public and
aiding the Obama Administration in their goal to increaseGovernment
transparency. FDsys also received a Hermes Creative Award by The
Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals--for the
Public Relations Plan for the launch of the system.
Printing of President Obama's official photograph
The U.S. Government Printing Office printed the official photograph
of President
Barack Obama. These
photographs are hanging in more than 7,000 federal installations
managed by the
General
Services Administration (GSA). GPO printed more than 130,000
photographs, which included three sizes: 8 x 10, 11 x 14 and 20 x
24.
This is the first time the White House has taken the President’s
official photograph digitally. GPO used its digital capabilities to
produce the photograph of President Obama. Employees transferred
the digital image from a computer to a printing plate and finally
to one of GPO’s four color presses, which produced a high quality
product. The President’s photograph is printed on paper containing
recycled content and fiber from a sustainably managed forest.
Budget of the U.S. Government
GPO made history in the distribution of the Budget of the U.S.
Government on February 4, 2008. The President of the United States
released the first-ever electronic Federal Budget (E-Budget) to
Congress and GPO authenticated the E-Budget by
digital signature. The visible digital
signature on an online PDF document serves the same purpose as
handwritten signatures or traditional wax seals on printed
documents. This signature assures the public that the document has
not been changed or altered. A digital signature, viewed through
the GPO Seal of Authenticity, verifies the document's integrity and
authenticity.
A GPO employee helps produce the FY
2010 Budget.
In the 21st century, the increasing use of electronic documents
pose special challenges in verifying authenticity because digital
technology makes such documents easy to alter or copy, leading to
multiple non-identical versions that can be used in counterfeiting
and other unauthorized or illegitimate ways.
In addition to these online versions, GPO employees have been
working around the clock to print hardcopies of the President’s
Budget. Nearly 8,000 copies of the budget appendix, analytical
perspectives, historical tables and summary tables were printed for
the release of the Budget for FY 2009. Office of Budget and
Management Director, Peter Orszag, visited GPO to witness firsthand
the hard work done by GPO employees. He was then given the first
copy of the FY 2009 Budget, hot off the presses.
Sustainable environmental stewardship
The Clerk of the House Lorraine Miller
and Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson visit GPO.
In 2008 Public Printer
Robert C.
Tapella outlined goals for
sustainable print solutions for GPO’s customers. One environmental
sustainability initiative Tapella said he would like to achieve is
to retire GPO’s antiquated building in Washington, D.C. and
relocate it to a
Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified
building.
GPO has taken several steps to become a more
environmentally-friendly plant. In 2008, GPO put on a new, biobased
green roofing system; it is expected to double the life expectancy
of the roof. During that year, GPO also recycled more than 5.6
million pounds of waste paper which is equivalent to about 34,000
trees saved. In order to continue their effort toward sustainable
environmental stewardship, the two daily newspapers that GPO
prints, the Congressional Record and the Federal Register, are
being produced on 40%
postconsumer
waste recycled newsprint. In 2008, GPO also installed a solvent
recovery system. As a result, GPO has reduced its hazardous waste
in this area by 90%.
GPO's Style Manual
GPO publishes the United States
Style
Manual to be used for all government publications.
Among the venerable
series it publishes are Foreign Relations of the United
States for the State Dept. since 1861, Statistical Abstract
of the United States for the Census Bureau since 1878 and
Public Papers of the President covering the
administrations of Presidents Herbert
Hoover onward except Franklin
D. Roosevelt (whose
papers were privately printed).
In 2008, GPO revised its Style Manual for the first time in eight
years. The new manual includes a more contemporary and readable
format, URLs for further information, an expanded glossary of
computer terms, new and updated entries in the Useful Tables
chapter, an updated list of foreign country information, a
completely revamped Capitalization chapter, a new section on GPO’s
online initiatives, and inclusion of many suggestions from
users.
Congressional Record Printed on 100% Recycled Paper
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and the U.S. Congress
achieved a major milestone in their joint effort to reduce the
Federal Government’s carbon footprint. GPO began printing the
Congressional Record on 100% recycled paper, which will reduce the
Nation’s paper landfill waste across the country. The Congressional
Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of
Congress, and it is printed by GPO everyday that Congress is in
session. GPO has been testing 100% recycled paper during the past
year. Those tests showed no difference in printability or
run-ability as compared to the 40% post-consumer waste recycled
paper GPO has been using for years.Public Printer Bob Tapella
presented Speaker Nancy Pelosi with copies of the Congressional
Record printed on 100% recycled paper. The Speaker congratulated
Public Printer Tapella and all GPO employees for their efforts to
green the Capitol complex and help reduce the overall environmental
impact of the U.S. Congress.
Public Printers of the United States
By law, the Public Printer heads GPO. The position of Public
Printer traces its roots back to Benjamin Franklin and the period
before the American Revolution, when he served as "publick
printer," whose job was to produce official government documents
for Pennsylvania and other colonies.
Public Printers:
- Almon M. Clapp (1876-1877)
- John D. Defrees (1877-1882)
- Sterling P. Rounds (1882-1886)
- Thomas E. Benedict (1886-1889)
- Frank W. Palmer (1889-1894)
- Thomas E. Benedict (1894-1897)
- Frank W. Palmer (1897-1905), O.J. Ricketts (Acting,
1905-1905)
- Charles A. Stillings (1905-1908), William S. Rossiter (Acting,
1908-1908), Capt. Henry T. Brian (Acting, 1908-1908)
- John S. Leech (1908-1908)
- Samuel B. Donnelly (1908-1913)
- Cornelius Ford (1913-1921)
- George H. Carter (1921-1934)
- Augustus E. Giegengack (1934-1948), John J. Deviny (Acting,
1948-1948)
- John J. Deviny (1948-1953), Phillip L. Cole (Acting,
1953-1953)
- Raymond Blattenberger (1953-1961), John M. Wilson (Acting,
1961-1961), Felix E. Cristofane (Acting, 1961-1961)
- James L. Harrison (1961-1970)
- Adolphus N. Spence (1970-1972), Harry J. Humphrey (Acting,
1972-1973), L.T. Golden (Acting Deputy, 1973-1973)
- Thomas F. McCormick (1973-1977)
- John J. Boyle (1977-1980), Samuel Saylor (Acting,
1980-1981)
- Danford L. Sawyer, Jr. (1981-1984), William J. Barrett (Acting,
1984-1984)
- Ralph E. Kennickell, Jr. (1984-1989)
- Robert Houk (1990-1993), Michael F. DiMario (Acting,
1993-1993)
- Michael F. DiMario (1993-2002)
- Bruce James (2002-2007), William H. Turri (Acting,
2007-2007)
- Robert C. Tapella (2007-present)
The
Bureau of Engraving
and Printing is responsible for the printing of
United States currency.
Notable GPO publications
See also
References
External links
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