[Request That GAO Re-examine Its Position on 44 U.S.C. 501]

In response to a congressional request, GAO re-examined its position on the scope of section 501 of Title 44, U.S. Code, which requires that Government printing be performed by the Government Printing Office (GPO) unless a waiver is granted by the Joint Committee on Printing. By statute and regulation, GPO may only perform work authorized by law and necessary to the public business and only when the Government agency or establishment has appropriated moneys available. It was specifically queried whether joint projects involving Government and private entities could be printed at GPO. GAO has held that GPO is not authorized to perform printing for private concerns even if the printing is in conjunction with a Government project. In addition, GPO would have no authority to accept payment from a private source.