House lawmakers passed a bill Monday aimed at preventing future executive branch interference in some legislative branch agencies, a year after President Donald Trump fired the librarian of Congress.
It would allow House and Senate leaders to appoint the heads of both the Library of Congress and the Government Publishing Office, removing that power from the president.
But the president would get new appointment authority over another role, the register of copyrights. Historically part of the Library of Congress, the Copyright Office has long drawn debate over its proper place.
The bill was passed by a voice vote. Now it heads to the Senate, where it would need enough bipartisan support to overcome a filibuster.
“At its core, this bill is about ensuring that agencies of the legislative branch are governed in a manner consistent with our constitutional system, improving continuity in leadership and strengthening congressional oversight,” Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., the lead sponsor, said on the floor Monday.
