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.

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Bill ID: 119/hr/1234
Last Updated: April 4, 2025

Sponsored by

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

ID: B000740

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.

April 1, 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and Sectors:** The affected industries are obvious: publishers, printers, and anyone who makes a living off the back of outdated, overpriced government publications.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 & Appropriations Small Business & Entrepreneurship Transportation & Infrastructure State & Local Government Affairs Congressional Rules & Procedures Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement National Security & Intelligence Civil Rights & Liberties Government Operations & Accountability
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💰 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
Organization TAHLEQUAH, OK
$1,000
Dec 15, 2023
2
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY
Organization SACATON, AZ
$500
Nov 17, 2023
3
NORTY, LEWIS
NORRY MANAGEMENT CORP REAL ESTATE
Individual ROCHESTER, NY
$3,300
Jun 26, 2024
4
SECUNDA, AMY
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual CROTON ON HUDSON, NY
$3,300
Jun 28, 2024
5
SECUNDA, CYNTHIA
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual CROTON ON HUDSON, NY
$3,300
Jun 27, 2024
6
SECUNDA, MICHELLE
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual CROTON ON HUDSON, NY
$3,300
Jun 27, 2024
7
SECUNDA, THOMAS
BLOOMBERG CO-FOUNDER
Individual CROTON ON HUDSON, NY
$3,300
Jun 27, 2024
8
OSTROFF, DIANA
OSTROFF ASSOCIATES COO
Individual ALBANY, NY
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
9
OSTROFF, RICHARD
OSTROFF ASSOCIATES PRESIDENT
Individual LOUDONVILLE, NY
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
10
PERLMAN, LEE
GREATER NEW YORK HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE VP
Individual LARCHMONT, NY
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024

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

ID: C001126

Top Contributors

10

1
KITTLE, JEFFREY
KITTLE PROPERTY GROUP CEO
Individual INDIANAPOLIS, IN
$6,600
Oct 24, 2023
2
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
NONE RETIRED
Individual NEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Sep 28, 2023
3
SCHWARZMAN, STEPHEN
BLACKSTONE CEO AND CHAIRMAN
Individual NEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Sep 27, 2023
4
BAGAN, JOSEPH W.
STAQ PHARMA CEO
Individual COLUMBUS, OH
$4,000
Oct 14, 2024
5
BAGAN, JOSEPH W.
Individual COLUMBUS, OH
$4,000
Oct 16, 2024
6
BORKOWSKI, BRIAN
HEARTLAND CHARGING SERVICES COO
Individual BELLEAIR BEACH, FL
$3,435
Oct 15, 2024
7
FISCHER, ALEX
SELF EMPLOYED CONSULTING REAL ESTATE
Individual COLUMBUS, OH
$3,300
Oct 8, 2024
8
BARRERAS, LORI
STATE OF OHIO COMMISSIONER, OCRC
Individual COLUMBUS, OH
$3,300
Nov 8, 2024
9
LAIRD, JAMES F.
DIAMOND HILL EXECUTIVE
Individual DUBLIN, OH
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
10
RICHARDSON, JOHN G.
SUGARCREEK CHAIRMAN
Individual CINCINNATI, OH
$3,300
Dec 16, 2024

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

ID: T000474

Top Contributors

10

1
OPEN HAND ASSOCIATION, INC.
Organization BRONX, NY
$5,000
Jan 10, 2024
2
JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT
Organization PHILADELPHIA, PA
$4,589
May 31, 2023
3
HABEMATOLEL POMO OF UPPER LAKE TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA
Organization UPPER LAKE, CA
$3,300
Jul 18, 2023
4
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
Organization RED ROCK, OK
$3,300
Jul 18, 2023
5
TURTLE MOUNTAIN BAND OF CHIPPEWA OF NORTH DAKOTA
Organization BELCOURT, ND
$3,300
Jul 17, 2023
6
JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT
Organization PHILADELPHIA, PA
$2,976
Apr 28, 2023
7
JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT
Organization PHILADELPHIA, PA
$682
Jun 6, 2023
8
JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT
Organization PHILADELPHIA, PA
$270
Jul 5, 2023
9
JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT
Organization PHILADELPHIA, PA
$227
Jul 31, 2023
10
JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT
Organization PHILADELPHIA, PA
$48
Jun 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.

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Showing 36 nodes and 39 connections

Total contributions: $163,894

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

Showing top 25 donors by contribution amount

1 PAC2 Orgs6 Committees17 Individuals