New Bill Would Make Copyright Chief Term-Limited POTUS Pick

The Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017 was introduced late March 23. The bipartisan bill, co-sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), would make the position a presidential appointment, requiring confirmation by the Senate, and with a term limit of 10 years.

Currently it is an appointment of, and reports to, the Librarian of Congress and has no term limit. The Register of Copyrights oversees the Copyright Office, whose opinion that online video streamers aren't pay-TV providers when it comes to compulsory license eligibility was just deferred to by the Ninth Circuit in ruling against streamer FilmOn X. The duties of the registrar include "legal interpretation of the copyright law...promulgating copyright regulations; advising Congress and other government officials on domestic and international copyright policy and other intellectual property issues."