Lofgren, Chu, Deutch File Amendments to Register of Copyrights Bill
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and other Democratic lawmakers filed at least three proposed amendments to the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act (HR-1695) by our deadline Monday. The bill, now confirmed as expected for a Wednesday floor vote (see 1704200047), would make the register a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed position with a 10-year term (see 1703230068). The House is expected to pass HR-1695 via unified Republican support (see 1704210064), but it remains unclear how many House Democrats will support the bill.
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House Rules had posted three proposed amendments at our deadline but a spokeswoman indicated additional amendments could be suggested up until the committee’s planned Tuesday meeting. Lofgren, who led House opposition to HR-1695, filed an amendment that would allow Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden to still appoint a permanent replacement for ousted Register Maria Pallante. Associate Register Karyn Temple Claggett has been acting register since Hayden removed Pallante in October. Pallante resigned from LOC almost immediately after Hayden removed her as Copyright Office head (see 1610210061, 1610240052 and 1701120027). Lofgren unsuccessfully sought to attach similar amendments to HR-1695 during the House Judiciary Committee’s March markup of the bill (see 1703290066).
Lofgren separately reinforced her opposition to HR-1695, saying in a statement “there is absolutely no coherent rationale advanced as to how [the bill] will improve the administration of the [CO]. Instead, this bill will only harm the public good, create a dysfunctional relationship between the Library of Congress and the Register of Copyright, and serve to delay Copyright modernization.” It's “deeply disturbing that for the first time in history, a female and a person of color is the Librarian of Congress, and for the first time in history, Congress would take away her power in order to give it to [President] Donald Trump,” Lofgren said. “While this does not point to motive, it is a distressing fact nevertheless.”
Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., filed an amendment that would bar HR-1695 from affecting the CO’s mandatory deposit requirements. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., sought an amendment that would require the register to “be capable of identifying and supervising a Chief Information Officer or other similar official responsible for managing modern information technology systems.” Chu and Deutch are HR-1695 co-sponsors and led work on separate bills aimed at granting the CO more autonomy from the LOC.