OKC Standard

The House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 1234, legislation led by Congresswoman Stephanie Bice. The bill aims to eliminate the print requirement of the Annotated Constitution in favor of a more efficient digital version. Congresswoman Bice, who serves as Chairwoman of the Modernization & Innovation Subcommittee within the Committee on House Administration, introduced the bill as a measure to bring Congress into the 21st century.

"As Chairwoman of the Modernization & Innovation Subcommittee, I have worked to bring Congress into the 21st Century," Congresswoman Bice stated. "This legislation saves taxpayer money by removing print requirements and allows the prioritization of the superior digitized version, which is used by citizens, schools, libraries, and lawmakers across the country."

During her floor remarks, Bice illustrated the historical background of the Annotated Constitution, also known as CONAN. She noted that the printed version has been in use since 1797 and expanded in 1921 to include explanatory language for Supreme Court case references. However, she pointed out that the digital version launched in 2019 is now preferred, evidenced by declining requests for printed copies and over 28 million visits to the CONAN website.

The shift to digital has already shown financial benefits, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating a reduction in operating costs by four million dollars over four years by eliminating the print requirement. Furthermore, Bice highlighted the inefficiency in requiring Congressional Research Service staff to format print versions. "Requiring CRS to spend countless hours formatting and paginating the print version of CONAN does not support the work of Congress, nor does it benefit our constituents," she noted.

Bice emphasized that transitioning to a digital version is a logical step that aligns with current information-gathering practices. The change would not only maintain the relevancy of CONAN but also ensure cost savings for taxpayers. "Mr. Speaker, replacing CONAN, the print requirement, with a digital requirement is a no brainer," she stated, urging quick Senate action on the bill.