News

Presses Plow Through Blizzard

GPO keeps presses printing as snow storms shut down most of  the federal government.

Lisa Cross, Senior Editor -- Graphic Arts Online, February 10, 2010

GPO keeps press rolling, while the rest of the federal government shuts down for three days following two big snow storms.Back-to-back snow storms may have put Congress on ice and shut down the U.S.  government, but not the printing that powers democracy. While the federal government shut down on Monday, Tuesday and today, due to two of the biggest snow storms in recent years--two feet of snow fell on Friday and Saturday in the DC metro area and more today--the government printing office kept its presses running to meet its print deadlines.

President Obama's Economic Report will make tomorrow's scheduled release date. More than 200 GPO employees braved treacherous road conditions--much of the nation's Capital was still being dug out yesterday from the weekend storm--to print and bind 9,100 copies of the 450-page document. GPO also printed 4,000 copies of the Congressional Record and formatted electronic versions, chronicling Tuesday's Senate session..

"For nearly 150 years GPO employees have been printing the documents of our democracy 24-hours a day, 7-days a week--regardless of weather," says Gary Somerset, GPO's media and public relations manager. "GPO is committed to meeting the deadlines of our customers. In this case: The White House and Congress."