I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1283 
To amend title 17, United States Code, to ensure fairness in the establishment 
of certain rates and fees under sections 114 and 115 of such title, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 4, 2015 
Mr. COLLINS of Georgia (for himself, Mr. JEFFRIES, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. 
NADLER, Mr. ROONEY of Florida, Mr. COHEN, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. 
CA´RDENAS, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. COOPER, Mr. 
DEUTCH, Ms. CHU of California, and Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 17, United States Code, to ensure fairness 
in the establishment of certain rates and fees under 
sections 114 and 115 of such title, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘Songwriter Equity Act 
of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. EFFECT ON ROYALTIES FOR UNDERLYING WORKS. 
Section 114(i) of title 17, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(i) EFFECT
ON
ROYALTIES
FOR
UNDERLYING 
WORKS.—It is the intent of Congress that royalties pay-
able to copyright owners of musical works for the public 
performance of their works shall not be diminished in any 
respect as a result of the rights granted in section 
106(6).’’. 
SEC. 3. APPLICATION TO SECTIONS 112(e) AND 114(f) SOUND 
RECORDING PROCEEDINGS. 
(a) PROCEEDINGS NOT AFFECTED.—Neither section 
2 of this Act nor the amendment made to section 114(i) 
of title 17, United States Code, by such section 2 shall 
be taken into account in any proceeding to set or adjust 
the rates and fees payable for the use of sound recordings 
under section 112(e) or section 114(f) of such title that 
is pending on, or commenced on or after, the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(b) DECISIONS AND PRECEDENTS NOT AFFECTED.— 
Neither section 2 of this Act nor the amendment made 
to section 114(i) of title 17, United States Code, by such 
section 2 shall have any effect upon the decisions, or the 
precedents established or relied upon, in any proceeding 
to set or adjust the rates and fees payable for the use 
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of sound recordings under section 112(e) or section 114(f) 
of such title before the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. FUNCTIONS OF COPYRIGHT ROYALTY JUDGES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 801(b)(1) of title 17, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘The rates 
applicable under sections 114(f)(1)(B), 115, and 116 shall 
be calculated to achieve the following objectives’’ and in-
serting ‘‘The rates applicable under sections 114(f)(1)(B) 
and 116 shall be calculated to achieve the following objec-
tives’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to any proceeding that is pend-
ing on, or commenced on or after, the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
SEC. 5. ROYALTY PAYABLE UNDER COMPULSORY LICENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 115(c)(3)(D) of title 17, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘In addition 
to the objectives set forth in section 801(b)(1), in estab-
lishing such rates and terms, the Copyright Royalty 
Judges may consider rates and terms under voluntary li-
cense agreements described in subparagraphs (B) and 
(C).’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘The Copyright Royalty 
Judges shall establish rates and terms that most clearly 
represent the rates and terms that would have been nego-
tiated in the marketplace between a willing buyer and a 
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willing seller. In establishing such rates and terms, the 
Copyright Royalty Judges shall base their decision on 
marketplace, economic, and use information presented by 
the participants. In establishing such rates and terms, the 
Copyright Royalty Judges may consider the rates and 
terms for comparable uses and comparable circumstances 
under voluntary license agreements.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to any proceeding that is pend-
ing on, or commenced on or after, the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
Æ 
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