Inside the Making of the Congressional Record: How History Gets Recorded as D.C. Sleeps
Washington — Every night that Congress is in session, dozens of workers inside a hulking red-brick building blocks away from the Capitol pull off an unheralded feat, laying down the first draft of the history of Congress.
TL;DR
- The Government Publishing Office (GPO) produces the Congressional Record, the official daily account of Congress's activities since 1873.
- The process involves transcribing floor speeches, editing, and meticulous formatting, largely happening overnight.
- Initially, there was a lack of formal documentation for congressional proceedings, leading to the creation of the Record.
- The Record provides a 'substantially verbatim' account, though it includes 'extensions of remarks' which are not always spoken on the floor.
- Floor reporters use shorthand and stenotype machines, with scopists and editors refining the transcripts.
- The GPO building houses massive printers that produce the Record, with a shift from traditional presses to digital inkjet technology.
- While physical copies are still produced, the GPO also maintains a significant digital presence with govinfo.gov.
- The GPO is modernizing its systems, including replacing outdated software, and is exploring the potential of AI for editing assistance.