Judiciary Committee Announces Next Round of Copyright Review Hearings

(WASHINGTON) – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), and Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble (R-N.C.) today announced the next round of hearings in the House Judiciary Committee’s ongoing review of U.S. copyright law.  The next round of hearings, which will be held over the coming months and into next year, will focus on digital business models, the scope of copyright protection (Section 102 and 106), the scope of fair use (Section 107), and the notice and takedown provisions (Section 512).  After these initial hearings, the Committee plans to proceed roughly in numerical order through the sections of the Copyright Act.  

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.): "As copyright plays an increasingly important part in the American economy, it is essential that we continue to foster the development of intellectual property in general and copyright in particular. I look forward to the next steps in the Judiciary Committee's review of our copyright policies in the 21st century."

Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.): “Copyright is a fundamental economic principle enshrined in our Constitution. It has become a core part of our economy and society in ways the framers of our Constitution could never have imagined and so it is important that the House Judiciary Committee continue our extensive review of U.S. copyright laws to ensure that we continue to incentivize creativity and innovation in the digital age. 

“The Committee looks forward to hearing from the witnesses and all interested parties in this next round of hearings.”

Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble (R-N.C.): “I look forward to getting to work on these issues because they could dramatically affect the efficacy of our copyright laws.”

Chairman Goodlatte first announced his intention to undertake a comprehensive review of U.S. copyright law on April 24th in a speech before the World Intellectual Property Day celebration at the Library of Congress. As part of the comprehensive copyright review, the House Judiciary Committee has already held hearings on issues like the Copyright Principles Project, the roles of the copyright and technology industries in our economy, and voluntary agreements.

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