I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1695 
To amend title 17, United States Code, to provide additional responsibilities 
for the Register of Copyrights, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 23, 2017 
Mr. GOODLATTE (for himself, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. BASS, Mr. BIGGS, Mrs. 
BLACKBURN, Mr. BUCK, Mr. CHABOT, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. 
CICILLINE, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr. DESANTIS, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. 
FARENTHOLD, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. 
GOWDY, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. JOHNSON of 
Louisiana, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. LABRADOR, Mr. TED 
LIEU of California, Mr. MARINO, Mr. NADLER, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. 
RATCLIFFE, Mrs. ROBY, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, and Mr. SMITH of 
Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 17, United States Code, to provide additional 
responsibilities for the Register of Copyrights, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Register of Copyrights 
Selection and Accountability Act of 2017’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:16 Mar 28, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1695.IH
H1695
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 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’’ 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) REGISTER AND DIRECTOR.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—All administrative’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘director’’ and inserting 
‘‘Director’’; 
(C) by inserting after the first sentence the 
following: ‘‘The Register of Copyrights shall be 
a citizen of the United States with a profes-
sional background and experience in copyright 
law and shall be appointed by the President, by 
and with the advice and consent of the Sen-
ate.’’; and 
(D) in the last sentence, by striking ‘‘shall 
be appointed’’ and all that follows through ‘‘and 
shall act’’ and inserting ‘‘shall act’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by redesignating para-
graphs (1) through (5) as subparagraphs (A) 
through (E), respectively, and adjusting the margins 
accordingly; 
(3) by redesignating subsection (b) as para-
graph (2), and adjusting the margins accordingly; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:16 Mar 28, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1695.IH
H1695
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(4) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by in-
serting ‘‘DUTIES.—’’ before ‘‘In addition’’; 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) OATH.—The Register of Copyrights shall, 
before taking office, take an oath to discharge faith-
fully the duties of the Copyright Office described in 
paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) REMOVAL.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Register of Copy-
rights may be removed from office by the Presi-
dent. 
‘‘(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 subpara-
graph (B), the Register of Copyrights— 
‘‘(i) shall be appointed for a term of 
10 years; and 
‘‘(ii) may serve until a successor is ap-
pointed, confirmed, and taken the oath of 
office. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—The Register of Copy-
rights may not continue to serve after the date 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:16 Mar 28, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1695.IH
H1695
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
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 ap-
pointed to the position of Register of Copy-
rights, by and with the advice and consent of 
the Senate, may be reappointed to that position 
in accordance with the requirements of this sec-
tion.’’; 
(6) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) 
as subsections (b) through (e), respectively; 
(7) in subsection (b), as so redesignated, by in-
serting ‘‘SEAL.—’’ before ‘‘The Register’’; 
(8) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by in-
serting ‘‘ANNUAL REPORT.—’’ before ‘‘The Reg-
ister’’; 
(9) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by in-
serting ‘‘APPLICABILITY
OF TITLE 5.—’’ before 
‘‘Except as provided’’; and 
(10) in subsection (e), as so redesignated, by 
inserting ‘‘COMPENSATION.—’’ before ‘‘The Reg-
ister’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply with respect to any vacancy for the 
Register of Copyrights after January 1, 2017. If a Reg-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:16 Mar 28, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1695.IH
H1695
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
ister of Copyrights is appointed during the period begin-
ning 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 amend-
ments. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:16 Mar 28, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H1695.IH
H1695
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS