United States Government Printing Office

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Government Printing Office
Official seal
Logo
Agency overview
Formed	March 4, 1861
Jurisdiction	Federal government of the United States
Headquarters	732 North Capitol St. NW Washington, D.C.
Agency executive	Robert C. Tapella, Public Printer
Parent agency	United States Congress Joint Committee on Printing
Website
www.gpo.gov

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. The first Superintendent of Documents librarian was Adelaide Hasse.

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:

• Code of Federal Regulations
• Public and Private Laws
• The Congressional Record
• The Federal Register, which is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations.
• United States Code
• United States Statutes at Large
• House Journal and Senate Journal

Passports

The new e-passport produced by GPO

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.^[1] 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.^[2]

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 be created in the Gulf coast region.

Trusted Traveler Program card

The new Trusted Traveler Program card produced by GPO.

GPO designed, printed, encoded and personalized more than 500,000 Trusted Traveler Program cards (NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST) for the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 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. ^[3]

A video of this process is available on GPO's official website.

GPO's Federal Digital System

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. ^[4]

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. ^[5]

FDsys is available at http://www.fdsys.gov. ^[6]

Printing of President Obama's official photograph

Public Printer Robert C. Tapella inspects 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. ^[7]

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. ^[8]

The printing process for the President's official photograph can be seen on GPO's Official Website.

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 about 1,250 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.

Material distributed through the FDLP includes information on careers, business opportunities, consumer information, health and nutrition, legal and regulatory information, and U.S. demographics.

Budget of the U.S. Government

Public Printer Bob Tapella and OMB Director Jim Nussle view the first digital authentication of the Federal Budget.

A GPO employee helps produce the FY 2009 Budget.

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.

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.^[9]

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. ^[10]

The FY 2009 Budget is available at GPO's Bookstore or on the FDsys website.

Sustainable environmental stewardship

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 1,500,000-square-foot (139,000 m²) building in Washington, D.C. and relocate it to a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building.^[11]

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 2008 Annual Report video may be viewed on GPO's official website.

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.

GPO's 2008 Style Manual is available at the bookstore which is located at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20401 or online at the GPO Online Bookstore.

Public Printers of the United States

Public Printer, Robert C. Tapella

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: John D. Defrees, Sterling P. Rounds, Thomas Benedict, Frank W. Palmer, Charles A. Stillings, John S. Leech, Samuel B. Donnelly, Cornelius Ford, George H. Carter, Augusts E. Geigengack, John J. Deviny, Raymond Blattenberger, James. L. Harrison A.N. Spence, Thomas F. McCormick, John J. Boyle, Danford L. Sawyer, Ralph E. Kennickell, Jr., Robert W. Houk, Michael F. DiMario, Bruce R. James, Robert C. Tapella

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is responsible for the printing of United States currency.

Notable GPO publications

• US Congressional Serial Set
• Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion (1870-88)
• Official Records of the American Civil War

References

1. ^ GPO Press Release on GPO website, July 2007
2. ^ Government Executive, March 27, 2008
3. ^ Government Printing Office, May 29, 2009
4. ^ GPO Website Project Overview
5. ^ GPO Website Project Overview
6. ^ GPO Website Project Overview
7. ^ January 12, 2009
8. ^ January 12, 2009
9. ^ GPO Press release: GPO Authenticates Federal Budget by Digital Signature, February 4, 2008
10. ^ [1]
11. ^ GPO and the American Printing Industry Move Forward with Sustainable Environmental Stewardship

See also

• National Technical Information Service
• United States Congress Joint Committee on Printing

External links

This article's external links may not follow Wikipedia's content policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links.

• The Seybold Report Sustainable Public Printing and Beyond: The Hon. Robert Tapella, May 15, 2008
• GPO and the American Printing Industry Move Forward with Sustainable Environmental Stewardship
• Public Printer Letter to Members of Congress on the Security of U.S. Passports
• GPO's E-Passport Factsheet
• Jill R. Aitoro Article 'mistated' facts of offshoring e-passport production, Government Executive, March 27, 2008
• Bill Gertz, GPO profits go to bonuses and trips, Washington Times, March 27, 2008
• Bill Gertz, GPO's backup plant on storm-prone Gulf, Washington Times, March 28, 2008
• Bill Gertz, Outsourced passport work scrutinized, Washington Times, March 26, 2008
• GPO to Open Second Secure Production Facility: GPO Press Release on New Passport Production Facility, March 12, 2008
• Confronting Digital Age Head-On, Washington Post, March 13, 2006
• GPO Access - Portal to Government Information
• GPO Online Bookstore
• GPO Style Manual
• GPO Website
• CyberCemetery Defunct government Web sites