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U.S. Copyright Office
NewsNet

August 12, 1998
Issue 17
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For additional information, visit the Copyright Office homepage at
http://www.copyright.gov.

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CONTENTS

* News*

House Passes Digital Millennium Copyright Act

* Calendar*

* To Subscribe/Unsubscribe to NewsNet*


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* NEWS*


-------------Legislative News--------------

HOUSE PASSES DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT

     The House passed its version of the Digital Millennium Copyright
Act, H.R. 2281, on Aug. 4.  While containing many of the same provisions
as the Senate version (S. 2037), there are substantial differences that
will have to be resolved in a conference committee. (See NewsNet Issue
13 for info on the Senate version.)
     Title I provides for the implementation of two 1996 WIPO Copyright
treaties that deal with significant digital issues; Title II limits
certain online infringement liability for service providers; Title III
is the Computer Maintenance Competition Assurance Act (formerly H.R.
72); Title IV, entitled "Miscellaneous Provisions," contains a subtitle
that establishes an Under Secretary of Commerce for intellectual
property policy in the Department of Commerce and clarifies the
continuing policy role of the Copyright Office. A second subtitle
contains numerous other miscellaneous provisions relating to: exemption
for ephemeral recordings by digital broadcasters; Copyright Office
report on distance education; exemption for libraries and archives; fair
use; statutory license for performance of sound recordings by
webcasters; assumption of contractual obligations related to transfers
of rights in motion pictures; and first sale clarification. Title V is
the Collections of Information Antipiracy Act (formerly H.R. 2652), and
Title VI  is the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act (formerly H.R. 2696).


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* CALENDAR *


August 24, 1998: Effective date of rule amendment on how a cable system
shall calculate its royalty fees

October 1, 1998: Public hearing on increase of statutory and other
copyright fees.


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