[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 100 (Tuesday, July 9, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE--A LOYAL FRIEND TO CONGRESS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARTIN FROST

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 9, 1996

  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, the Appropriations Committee recently 
recommended that the U.S. Government Printing Office look for 
additional opportunities to privatize its operations. Already the GPO 
contracts out between 75 percent and 80 percent of all printing jobs it 
receives.
  The GPO has one of the finest performing procurement operations of 
any in the U.S. Government, and GPO saves the taxpayers millions of 
dollars every year through this process.
  The only work that continues to be done inhouse at GPO is work that 
would be very difficult and very expensive to contract out. The GPO 
performs almost all congressional work inhouse, working closely with 
the House, and Senate leadership on an hourly basis to ensure that 
Congress' business can be transacted each day.
  What kind of control would we have over contracted printing. Would we 
get the Congressional Record, conference reports, business calendars, 
and bills on time? The GPO keeps personnel on standby to meet all of 
Congress' needs and contingencies regardless of the hour of the day or 
night.
  How many contractors could do that? And, at what cost would it be to 
the Government? The U.S. Government Printing Office charges only its 
costs to do congressional work. Contractors would charge cost plus a 
profit.
  More than 100 years ago, most congressional printing was contracted 
out, and it was a disasterous program. Work was late, some of it never 
got done, and contractors charged outrageous prices.
  The GPO was created to put an end to that very expensive and corrupt 
process. It has been an incredible success and a truly loyal servant to 
the U.S. Congress.
  With the GPO's outstanding record, we need to take a long and hard 
critical look at proposals to privatize congressional printing.

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