Notice of Congressional Hearings on Thursday
Issue No. 572 - February 26, 2015
On February 26, 2015, the Congress will hold two separate hearings relating to the functions and funding of the U.S. Copyright Office. Both hearings will begin at 1:30 pm and will be streamed through the respective Committee websites.
The full House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony from external witnesses regarding a variety of questions, including current and future statutory responsibilities, Constitutional issues, technology, fees, and appropriations. This hearing is part of the Committee’s commitment to review the copyright law to assess how well it is working in the digital age. The 113th Congress held nearly twenty hearings in 2013 and 2014 under the leadership of the House Subcommittee responsible for intellectual property.
The House Appropriations Committee will hold its annual hearing on the fiscal year 2016 appropriations request of the Library of Congress, which includes the Copyright Office budget. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington will testify. As always, the Register has submitted a written statement to the Committee, which will be posted tomorrow on the Copyright Office website, and will assist the Librarian with Copyright Office questions. Please note that this hearing follows the appropriations hearing on the Architect of the Capitol and the start time may therefore shift.