House Passes Disastrous Copyright Office Overhaul Without Hearings

• The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 6028, the "Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act," via a voice vote without prior hearings or public debate.
• The bill removes the Library of Congress’s supervisory authority over the U.S. Copyright Office and transfers significant rulemaking powers directly to the Register of Copyrights.
• It converts the Register of Copyrights into a presidential appointee subject to Senate confirmation, raising concerns about increased political influence and industry lobbying.
• Critics, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), warn that these changes weaken public-interest checks and threaten free expression, education, and digital access rights.

Concerns Over Political Influence

• By making the Register a political appointee, the office risks prioritizing administration policy preferences and industry interests over neutral administrative and technical expertise.
• The Copyright Office has historically supported measures detrimental to public interests, such as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and restrictive stances on AI and fair use.
• Consolidating power in a single political appointee creates a dangerous concentration of authority, especially regarding DMCA Section 1201 rulemaking, which governs access to digital content for security, repair, and accessibility.

Loss of Public-Interest Oversight

• Severing ties with the Library of Congress eliminates a critical counterweight that missionally focuses on the preservation and accessibility of knowledge.
• The lack of formal hearings prior to the passage of H.R. 6028 prevented essential scrutiny of the bill's long-term impact on speech, creativity, and educational opportunities.
• Advocates are urging the Senate to reject the legislation to ensure the Copyright Office remains focused on public service rather than political maneuvering.