Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017

To amend title 17, United States Code, to provide additional responsibilities for the Register of Copyrights, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017 2. Register of Copyrights (a) Amendments Section 701 of title 17, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking (a) All administrative (a) Register and Director (1) In general All administrative ; (B) by striking director Director (C) by inserting after the first sentence the following: The Register of Copyrights shall be a citizen of the United States with a professional background and experience in copyright law, shall be capable of identifying and supervising a Chief Information Officer or other similar official responsible for managing modern information technology systems, and shall be appointed by the President from the individuals recommended under paragraph (6), by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (D) in the last sentence, by striking shall be appointed and shall act shall act (2) in subsection (b), by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly; (3) by redesignating subsection (b) as paragraph (2), and adjusting the margins accordingly; (4) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by inserting Duties In addition (5) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) Oath The Register of Copyrights shall, before taking office, take an oath to discharge faithfully the duties of the Copyright Office described in paragraph (2). (4) Removal (A) In general The Register of Copyrights may be removed from office by the President. (B) Notification The President shall provide notification to both Houses of Congress of a removal under subparagraph (A). (5) Term of Office (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B), the Register of Copyrights— (i) shall be appointed for a term of 10 years; and (ii) may serve until a successor is appointed, confirmed, and taken the oath of office. (B) Limitation The Register of Copyrights may not continue to serve after the date on which Congress adjourns sine die after the date on which the 10-year period described in subparagraph (A)(i) ends. (C) Reappointment An individual appointed to the position of Register of Copyrights, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, may be reappointed to that position in accordance with the requirements of this section. (6) Panel for Register of Copyrights Recommendations There is established a panel to recommend a list of at least 3 individuals to the President for appointment as the Register of Copyrights. The panel shall be composed of the following: (A) The Speaker of the House of Representatives. (B) The President pro tempore of the Senate. (C) The majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate. (D) The Librarian of Congress. ; (6) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as subsections (b) through (e), respectively; (7) in subsection (b), as so redesignated, by inserting Seal The Register (8) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by inserting Annual Report The Register (9) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by inserting Applicability of title 5 Except as provided (10) in subsection (e), as so redesignated, by inserting Compensation The Register (b) Applicability The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to any vacancy for the Register of Copyrights after January 1, 2017. If a Register of Copyrights is appointed during the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, that Register shall meet the requirements of the amendments made by this Act or shall be replaced in accordance with such amendments. 3. Construction Nothing in this Act may be construed to impact the mandatory deposit requirements in title 17, United States Code.

Summary: Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017 This bill amends federal copyright law to require the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint a Register of Copyrights from a list of at least three individuals recommended by a panel composed of: the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the President pro tempore of the Senate; the majority and minority leaders of the House and the Senate; and the Librarian of Congress. (Currently, the Register of Copyrights is appointed by the Librarian of Congress.) To be eligible for appointment, the individual must be a U.S. citizen with a professional background and experience in copyright law and must be capable of identifying and supervising a chief information officer responsible for managing modern information technology systems. The bill limits the term of office for the Register of Copyrights to 10 years, but the individual may be reappointed subject to the same requirements established in this bill. The President may remove the Register of Copyrights from office and must notify both chambers of Congress of any such removal. Nothing in this bill may be construed to impact the mandatory deposit requirements under which owners of a copyright or of an exclusive right of publication must deposit in the U.S. Copyright Office two copies or phonorecords of works published in the United States for the use or disposition of the Library of Congress.