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.

Download PDF
Bill ID: 119/hr/1234
Last Updated: July 12, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]

ID: B000740

Follow the money

The bill

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.

HR. 1234, 119th Congress — read as touching Print & Broadcast Media.

The sponsor

Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$126,405 raised

30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

March 31, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another brilliant example of legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. Let's dissect this masterpiece, shall we?

HR 1234 is a bill that claims to "promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability" of the Annotated Constitution by replacing hardbound versions with digital ones. How noble. But let's not be fooled – this is just a thinly veiled attempt to line the pockets of special interest groups.

**New Regulations:** The bill creates new regulations requiring the Librarian of Congress to prepare digital decennial revised editions of the Constitution Annotated and cumulative pocket-part supplements, instead of hardbound versions. Because, you know, the American people were just clamoring for a more efficient way to access annotated constitutions.

**Affected Industries and Sectors:** The affected industries are obvious: publishers, printers, and anyone who makes a living off the back of outdated, overpriced government publications. But let's not forget the real beneficiaries – the tech companies that will be contracted to create and maintain these digital versions. It's a classic case of crony capitalism.

**Compliance Requirements and Timelines:** The bill sets out timelines for the Librarian of Congress to prepare these digital editions, with the first one due by October 2031. Because, you know, we need to give them plenty of time to figure out how to use a PDF converter.

**Enforcement Mechanisms and Penalties:** There are no enforcement mechanisms or penalties outlined in the bill. But don't worry, I'm sure the Librarian of Congress will be held accountable by the usual suspects – the Congressional Oversight Committee (aka the "We're Too Busy to Actually Oversee Anything" committee).

**Economic and Operational Impacts:** The economic impact will be a windfall for tech companies and a loss for publishers and printers. The operational impact will be negligible, since most people won't even notice the difference between hardbound and digital versions of the Annotated Constitution.

In conclusion, HR 1234 is just another example of Congress's favorite pastime – creating unnecessary regulations to benefit special interest groups while pretending to serve the public good. It's a legislative placebo, designed to make us feel like something is being done, when in reality, it's just more of the same old bureaucratic nonsense.

Diagnosis: Chronic Crony Capitalism with symptoms of Legislative Theater and Special Interest Groupitis. Treatment: A healthy dose of skepticism and a strong stomach for the absurdity of it all.

Related Topics

Federal Budget & AppropriationsJudiciary & Legal Reform
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$126,405
26 donors
PACs
$1,000
Organizations
$13,200
Committees
$0
Individuals
$98,805
1
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND
1 transaction
$1,000
1
THE CHICKASAW NATION
3 transactions
$9,900
2
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
1 transaction
$3,300

No committee contributions found

1
BROWN, FRED W.
2 transactions
$10,700
2
ARMSTRONG, SINCLAIR W. JR.
1 transaction
$6,600
3
TANENBAUM, RICHARD
1 transaction
$6,600
4
FISHER, KENNETH L.
1 transaction
$6,600
5
FISHER, SHERRILYN
1 transaction
$6,600
6
GRIFFIN, KENNETH
1 transaction
$6,600
7
HILLIARY, EDWARD JR.
1 transaction
$6,600
8
COX, DEBORAH
1 transaction
$5,900
9
COX, ROBERT
1 transaction
$5,900
10
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
1 transaction
$5,500
11
SCHWARZMAN, STEPHEN
1 transaction
$5,500
12
MCANALLY, G. DEWAYNE
1 transaction
$5,400
13
DUHAMEL, WILLIAM
1 transaction
$5,000
14
KERR, R. BRUCE
1 transaction
$5,000
15
BRALY, ANGELA
1 transaction
$3,435
16
CANTRELL, STEVEN
1 transaction
$3,435
17
CHANSOLME, DAVID
1 transaction
$3,435

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 3 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]

ID: M001206

Top Contributors

10

1
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$1,000
Dec 15, 2023
2
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationSACATON, AZ
$500
Nov 17, 2023
3
NORTY, LEWIS
NORRY MANAGEMENT CORPREAL ESTATE
IndividualROCHESTER, NY
$3,300
Jun 26, 2024
4
SECUNDA, AMY
NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYED
IndividualCROTON ON HUDSON, NY
$3,300
Jun 28, 2024
5
SECUNDA, CYNTHIA
NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYED
IndividualCROTON ON HUDSON, NY
$3,300
Jun 27, 2024
6
SECUNDA, MICHELLE
NOT EMPLOYEDNOT EMPLOYED
IndividualCROTON ON HUDSON, NY
$3,300
Jun 27, 2024
7
SECUNDA, THOMAS
BLOOMBERGCO-FOUNDER
IndividualCROTON ON HUDSON, NY
$3,300
Jun 27, 2024
8
OSTROFF, DIANA
OSTROFF ASSOCIATESCOO
IndividualALBANY, NY
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
9
OSTROFF, RICHARD
OSTROFF ASSOCIATESPRESIDENT
IndividualLOUDONVILLE, NY
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
10
PERLMAN, LEE
GREATER NEW YORK HOSPITAL ASSOCIATIONEXECUTIVE VP
IndividualLARCHMONT, NY
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024

Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15]

ID: C001126

Top Contributors

10

1
KITTLE, JEFFREY
KITTLE PROPERTY GROUPCEO
IndividualINDIANAPOLIS, IN
$6,600
Oct 24, 2023
2
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
NONERETIRED
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Sep 28, 2023
3
SCHWARZMAN, STEPHEN
BLACKSTONECEO AND CHAIRMAN
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Sep 27, 2023
4
BAGAN, JOSEPH W.
STAQ PHARMACEO
IndividualCOLUMBUS, OH
$4,000
Oct 14, 2024
5
BAGAN, JOSEPH W.
IndividualCOLUMBUS, OH
$4,000
Oct 16, 2024
6
BORKOWSKI, BRIAN
HEARTLAND CHARGING SERVICESCOO
IndividualBELLEAIR BEACH, FL
$3,435
Oct 15, 2024
7
FISCHER, ALEX
SELF EMPLOYEDCONSULTING REAL ESTATE
IndividualCOLUMBUS, OH
$3,300
Oct 8, 2024
8
BARRERAS, LORI
STATE OF OHIOCOMMISSIONER, OCRC
IndividualCOLUMBUS, OH
$3,300
Nov 8, 2024
9
LAIRD, JAMES F.
DIAMOND HILLEXECUTIVE
IndividualDUBLIN, OH
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
10
RICHARDSON, JOHN G.
SUGARCREEKCHAIRMAN
IndividualCINCINNATI, OH
$3,300
Dec 16, 2024

Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]

ID: T000474

Top Contributors

10

1
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA
$3,300
Dec 21, 2023
2
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationMARICOPA, AZ
$3,300
Dec 28, 2023
3
BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLAKESIDE, CA
$3,300
Jun 30, 2023
4
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,300
Mar 31, 2023
5
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,300
Apr 23, 2024
6
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$3,300
Apr 26, 2024
7
PALA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization
$2,900
Oct 15, 2024
8
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$2,500
Jun 13, 2024
9
BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLAKESIDE, CA
$2,200
Jun 30, 2023
10
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationBANNING, CA
$2,000
Sep 30, 2023

Donor Network - Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 77 nodes and 39 connections (78 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $160,905

Top Donors - Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]

Showing top 25 donors by contribution amount

1 PAC2 Orgs6 Committees17 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 harmed.

  • Section 1(c) repeals the requirement for printing additional copies of the Annotated Constitution and supplements, which could negatively impact the print industry, specifically companies involved in government printing contracts (e.g., Section 3 of Public Law 91-589).

Related Bills