March 5, 2004 --Washington, D.C.-- Public Printer of the United States Bruce James presented the Senate Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee today with the GPO's funding request for fiscal year 2005. "From the time I arrived at the GPO just over a year ago, we have taken the necessary steps to stabilize the agency's financial condition by reorganizing and streamlining our business units, reducing employment and shutting unnecessary operations. We conducted a successful early retirement program last year and have another under way. By summer, we will have reduced the overall agency workforce by 20%," James said. "These innovative and technology driven cost-saving efforts have made us more efficient and are making it possible for us to ask for a dramatic decrease in two of our appropriations." James is referring to the FY 2005 budget request for the GPO of $88. 8 million for the Congressional Printing and Binding Appropriation, a reduction of $1.8 million or 2% from FY 2004. Also requested is a $33 million for the Salaries and Expenses Appropriation of the Superintendent of Documents, a reduction of $1.2 million or 3.6% from last year. "In order to continue to transform the GPO into a 21st century digital information processing facility with the best leading-edge digital technology in support of Congress, Federal agencies and the public, we will need to invest in new technology for collecting, processing and distributing Government information," said James. "More than 50% of our documents are born digital and will never be printed, except on demand and as needed. This calls for a different type of information dissemination system, one that can deal with the versioning, authentication and preservation of the digital record of the American Government in perpetuity." For investment in technology that will move the agency forward and achieve new savings in future years, the GPO is requesting $25 million to support the acquisition of digital equipment and systems to manage the life cycle of Government information. Separate funding of $4.2 million is requested for the GPO's Office of the Inspector General to provide greater independence, similar to the funding of IG offices in many executive branch agencies.