Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-1695
Sponsor: Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6]
Introduced: 2017-03-23 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Congressional agencies
Congressional oversight
Federal officials
Intellectual property
Library of Congress

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-23
text: 

Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017

 
This bill amends federal copyright law to require the Register of Copyrights to be a U.S. citizen with a professional background and experience in copyright law who is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. (Currently, the Register of Copyrights is appointed by the Librarian of Congress.)
 
The term of office for the Register of Copyrights is limited to 10 years, but the individual may be reappointed subject to the same Senate advice and consent requirement.
 
The President may remove the Register of Copyrights from office and must notify both chambers of Congress of any such removal. 

action_date: 2017-04-20
text: 

Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends federal copyright law to require the Register of Copyrights to be a U.S. citizen with a professional background and experience in copyright law who is appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, from a list of 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.)
 
The term of office for the Register of Copyrights is limited 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. 

action_date: 2017-04-26
text: 

Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017

 
(Sec. 2) 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 citizen of the United States 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. 
 
(Sec. 3) 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.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-09-26
text: Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held.
action_date: 2017-04-27
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 378 - 48 (Roll no. 227).
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 378 - 48 (Roll no. 227).
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1695.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 275, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Chu amendment No. 2.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Deutch amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Goodlatte demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 275, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Deutch amendment No. 1.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1695.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 275 and Rule XVIII.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: The Speaker designated the Honorable Michael K. Simpson to act as Chairman of the Committee.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1695 with 1 hour of general debate. Motion to recommit with or without instructions allowed. The resolution makes in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-13.
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 275. (consideration: CR H2868-2877; text of measure as reported in House: CR H2874)
action_date: 2017-04-26
text: Rule H. Res. 275 passed House.
action_date: 2017-04-25
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 275 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1695 with 1 hour of general debate. Motion to recommit with or without instructions allowed. The resolution makes in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 115-13.
action_date: 2017-04-20
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 51.
action_date: 2017-04-20
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 115-91.
action_date: 2017-04-20
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 115-91.
action_date: 2017-03-29
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 1.
action_date: 2017-03-29
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-03-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2017-03-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-03-23
text: Introduced in House