Bipartisan Legislation Led by Tillis to Protect Independent Copyright Owners and Content Creators to Be Signed Into Law

Press Release

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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