2 U.S.C. § 183 — Written history of the House of Representatives

(a) In general. If funding allows, and following this section and section 183a, the Librarian of Congress must prepare, print, and distribute a new, complete written history of the House of Representatives, working with the Committee on House Administration. To write it, the Librarian must consult, hire, or otherwise use historians, and current or former House Members. (b) Guidelines. In writing the history, the Librarian must make sure: (1) it is an illustrated, narrative history told in order of time; (2) it is written for general readers as well as Members of Congress and their staff; and (3) it discusses the First and Second Continental Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, especially how they helped create the House. (c) Printing. (1) The Librarian must arrange for the history to be printed. (2) Printing can happen: (A) through the Director of the Government Publishing Office, following chapter 5 of title 44; (B) through a joint arrangement between the Librarian, a private funder found under (e), and a private publisher; or (C) through both (A) and (B) together. (3) Any such printing arrangement must include a plan to share excerpts of the history online through U.S. government websites. (4) If the Government Publishing Office prints the history, the cost of copies given to Congress under (d) counts against that office's printing and binding budget for Congress. (d) Distribution. The Librarian must sell the history to the public, and must give — free — 5 copies to each House Member and 250 copies to the Senate. (e) Private funding. The Librarian must seek and accept private money — from individuals, organizations, or other entities — to prepare, publish, market, and distribute the history.