WASHINGTON, DC -- Public Printer of the United States Bruce James testified today before the House Appropriations Committee on the U.S. Government Printing Office's Fiscal Year 2006 budget request.  James summarized his written testimony, which highlights the successful restoration of GPO's finances by running the agency more like a business, and the implementation of its strategic vision. "A year ago during appropriations hearings I told Members of the House and Senate we would turn around the GPO to become a far more efficient and business-like operation.  I am pleased to update Congress today on GPO's progress and successes during the first full year of our major transformation," said James.  "We have implemented best practices from both the public and private sectors, overhauled our operations, and have set in motion our strategic plan for the future of Government information."  A key element of GPO's strategic vision is the development of a Future Digital Content Management System.  The system will allow the agency to obtain, preserve, and provide access to information produced by all three branches of Government, and to material currently in the custody of the GPO and Federal depository libraries nationwide.  This system will enable GPO's customers to electronically access the content they want and allow the GPO to deliver it in the formats they desire. In order to continue GPO's rapid progress towards a full transformation, the agency has asked for an overall increase of 5.3% for its traditional Congressional appropriations.  The GPO is also seeking a one-time appropriation of $5 million to its revolving fund to train its workforce with the skills required for managing the life-cycle of digital information products in the 21st century.  GPO's total budget request for Fiscal Year 2006 is $131.1 million.   The GPO's core mission is to ensure that the American public has access to government information.  The GPO is the Federal Government's primary centralized resource for gathering, cataloging, producing, providing, authenticating, and preserving published U.S. Government information in all its forms.  GPO is responsible for the production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of the Federal Government.  In addition to publication sales, GPO makes government information available at no cost to the public through GPO Access (www.gpoaccess.gov), and through partnerships with more than 1,250 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program. For more information about the GPO, please visit www.gpo.gov.