WASHINGTON- The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and the U.S. Congress achieved a major milestone in their joint effort to reduce the Federal Government's carbon footprint. GPO began printing the Congressional Record on 100% recycled paper, which will reduce the Nation's paper landfill waste across the country. The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of Congress, and it is printed by GPO everyday that Congress is in session. GPO has been testing 100% recycled paper during the past year. Those tests showed no difference in printability or run-ability as compared to the
40% post-consumer waste recycled paper GPO has been using for years.

Public Printer Bob Tapella presented Speaker Nancy Pelosi with copies of the Congressional Record printed on 100% recycled paper. The Speaker congratulated Public Printer Tapella and all GPO employees for their efforts to green the Capitol complex and help reduce the overall environmental impact of the U.S. Congress.

"It puts the official proceedings of Congress on recycled paper and that is good for our environment and good for our future," said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. "This is one more step in the 'Green the Capitol' program - making sustainability a priority, placing conservation and energy efficiency at the top of our agenda, and putting America's leaders at the forefront of an issue that affects all Americans."

The Clerk of the House Lorraine Miller and Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson recently toured GPO's plant and inspected the printing of the Congressional Record on 100% recycled paper.

"The leadership that Mr. Tapella has shown has been extraordinary, and our members are delighted," said Clerk of the House Lorraine Miller. "The Speaker of the House has authorized the use of technologies for renewable resources, so this is a priority for the House of Representatives. I think this is a very significant day, because we are using 100% recycled paper and other agencies should join us."

"It is a great day for the Congress, and I applaud GPO's efforts to produce the Congressional Record using 100% recycled paper," said Secretary of the U.S. Senate Nancy Erickson. "This will be a tremendous way to reduce the Senate's carbon footprint."

"Sustainable Environmental Stewardship is both good business and good government. As Public Printer of the United States and head of the Government Printing Office, we are here to serve Congress," said Public Printer Bob Tapella. "The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate are both very much in favor of environmental initiatives, and printing the Congressional Record on 100% recycled newsprint is one step further in advancing their agendas."

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 approximately 1,250 libraries nationwide participating in the Federal Depository Library Program.