WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Kennedy (R-LA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) that would establish the Copyright Claims Board at the Copyright Office is expected to be signed into law. The CASE Act makes it easier and less expensive for independent creators, such as photographers, songwriters, and graphic artists, to protect their creative works from theft. The CASE Act was included in the year-end spending package that is expected to be signed into law this week. The legislation passed the House last year with 410 votes and was reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by unanimous voice vote.
“I applaud my colleagues for passing this legislation so independent artists can rely on copyright laws to protect their work,” said Senator Tillis. “The current system makes it difficult for them to recover damages in a cost-effective manner, and this bipartisan bill will provide a more efficient way for copyright owners to protect their intellectual property and ensure that content creators can be properly paid.”
“Creative ideas are your property, whether you’re a photographer or an independent movie director,” said Senator Kennedy. “It shouldn’t cost you a fortune to protect your creativity from copyright infringement, so it’s good to see the funding package include the CASE Act to create a legal avenue for artists to pursue copyright violations more quickly and less expensively. Louisiana’s rich culture and history are rooted in the successes of talented artists, musicians and authors. This is a key way to ensure Americans’ creative spirit is preserved and protected.”
“The CASE Act will create a voluntary small claims process to help individual creators and small businesses resolve copyright disputes quickly and at reasonable cost,” said Senator Durbin. “This broadly bipartisan legislation passed the House of Representatives last year with 410 votes and was reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by unanimous voice vote. This important bill is the product of years of hard work and deliberation, and I thank my bipartisan group of colleagues in the Senate and House for their efforts to get it across the finish line.”
“For too long, the copyright system has left no practical way for many creators to protect their rights as copyright holders,” said Senator Hirono. “By creating the Copyright Claims Board, this legislation establishes a venue where small creators can actually enforce their intellectual property rights and finally be appropriately paid for their work.”
Supporters of the CASE Act include:
- ACT|the App Association
- AFL-CIO
- Alliance for Women Film Composers
- American Association of Independent Music
- American Bar Association
- American Conservative Union
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- American Photographic Artists
- American Society for Collective Rights Licensing
- American Society of Journalists and Authors
- American Society of Media Photographers
- Association of American Publishers
- Association of Health Care Journalists
- Authors Guild
- Conservatives for Property Rights
- Copyright Alliance
- CreativeFuture
- Digital Media Licensing Association
- Dramatists Guild of America
- Future of Music Coalition
- Garden Communicators International
- Graphic Artists Guild
- Horror Writers’ Association
- Independent Book Publishers Association
- Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice
- International Authors Forum
- Latin Recording Academy
- Living Legends Foundation
- Music Answers
- Nashville Songwriters Association International
- NAACP
- National Music Publishers Association
- National Press Photographers Association
- National Small Business Association
- National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981
- News Media Alliance
- North American Nature Photography Association
- Novelists, Inc.
- Professional Photographers of America
- Recording Academy
- Recording Industry Association of America
- Romance Writers of America
- Rhythm & Blues Foundation
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
- Screen Actors Guild?American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)
- Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
- Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators
- Society of Composers and Lyricists
- Songpreneurs
- Songwriters Guild of America
- Songwriters of North America
- SoundExchange, Inc.
- U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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