Federal Publications Act of 1980

Summary

National Publications Act of 1979 - Abolishes the Joint Committee on Printing and the Government Printing Office. Establishes the National Publications Agency (NPA) as in independent establishment in the executive branch to provide for public printing services and the distribution of public documents. Creates within the NPA a ten member National Publications Commission composed of seven voting members and three nonvoting members. Grants such Commission overall responsibility for NPA policies and operations. Lists the duties of the Commission which include: (1) providing for appropriate use of private commercial sources for public printing services and the distribution of documents; (2) prescribing indexing and bibliographic standards for public documents; (3) furnishing supplies manufactured by NPA to other Government entities; and (4) fixing standards for materials used to produce public documents. Provides for the appointment of the voting members of the Commission by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. Sets forth the composition, administrative procedures, and compensation of the Commission. Directs the Commission to submit to the President and specified committees of Congress any regulations it may prescribe to carry out the provisions of this Act. States that such regulations shall take effect within ten legislative days after submission unless the President issues an Executive order or either committee adopts a resolution disapproving them. Authorizes the Chairman of the Commission to appoint and fix the pay of necessary staff personnel without regard to existing provisions governing appointments in the competitive service or classification and pay rates under the General Schedule. Directs the Chairman, with the Commission's approval, to appoint a Director of Administration of the NPA to be responsible for administrative and support services common to more than one component of the NPA. Authorizes the Director to employ necessary personnel including special police officers. Requires labor-management relations in the NPA to be based on principles of collective bargaining contained in existing Federal law relating to private sector employees. Declares that the provisions of title 5 of the United States Code (Government Organization and Employees) affecting the terms and conditions of Government employment, with specified exceptions, shall apply to NPA employees who are represented by a labor organization. Requires that unresolved collective bargaining matters be referred to binding arbitration whenever an impasse occurs. Provides for selection of an arbitrator. Sets forth the procedure to be followed by the arbitrator to resolve the impasse. Establishes the NPA revolving fund in the United States Treasury. Requires the Comptroller General to audit the activities of the NPA at least once every three years beginning in fiscal year in 1982. Sets forth restrictions pertaining to: (1) the procurement of property by the Chairman; and (2) the procurement of public printing services by the Director of Production Services. Requires Commission regulations governing such procurement to: (1) promote competition; (2) provide opportunities for small business participation in NPA contracts; (3) permit contractors to use subcontractors in the performance of a contract; and (4) limit the duration of any procurement contract to five years. Requires the Commission to submit any budget requests concurrently to the President, or the Office of Management and Budget, and to Congress. Creates within the NPA a position for a Director of Production Services who shall be appointed by the Chairman with the approval of the Commission. Makes the Director responsible for the provision of public printing services in the NPA. Requires that all public printing services for the Government be provided through the NPA. Directs the NPA to prescribe regulations allowing a Government entity to have printing services performed by a private person or in an authorized field printing plant of a Government entity under specified conditions. Requires materials which are printed as permanent public documents or at Government expense, to bear notice of such information. Establishes within the NPA the position of Director of Distribution Services to be responsible for the maintenance, distribution, and international exchange of public documents. Requires that public documents be distributed through the NPA unless the Director deems another method of distribution to be in the public interest. Declares that the price of a document shall not be less than the cost of production and distribution of such document, except under specified conditions. Requires the Director of Distribution Services to: (1) maintain an index of public documents; (2) prepare a catalog listing recent documents; (3) make available all documents to depository libraries; and (4) provide reference services to such libraries with respect to such documents. Authorizes each Member of Congress to designate two libraries within the Member's congressional district for the deposit of public documents. Permits the head of each Government agency to designate a depository library within the agency. Designates specified libraries as depository libraries. Requires any free public document to disclose certain information concerning its availability. Authorizes the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate to regulate public printing services and the distribution of public documents for Congress. Directs the NPA to prepare the Congressional Record, the Congressional Directory, and specified congressional documents. Directs the head of each Government entity to designate one employee as an information resources manager to: (1) coordinate public printing services and the distribution of documents for such entity; (2) certify the legality and necessity of a requested public printing service; (3) furnish the Director of Distribution Services with information concerning the publications of such entity; and (4) oversee compliance with this Act. Prohibits the Director of Production Services from providing public printing services without receiving a certification of the need and legality of such service from an information resources manager. Eliminates existing provisions of Federal law governing the public printing of particular reports and documents. Sets forth provisions concerning the transfer of functions, funds, and personnel of the Government Printing Office and the Joint Committee on Printing to the NPA and, with respect to oversight functions of such committee, to appropriate congressional committees. Directs the National Publications Commission to prescribe comprehensive regulations relating to the functions of the NPA. Makes technical and conforming amendments. States that this Act shall take effect on January 1, 1981.

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Documents

4 official files

• Reported to House amended, Part III

  summary · EN · 19 June 1980

  Open at official source

• Reported to House amended, Part II

  summary · EN · 18 June 1980

  Open at official source

• Reported to House amended, Part I

  summary · EN · 19 March 1980

  Open at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 27 September 1979

  Open at official source

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