The Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act (H.R. 1695), which would make the Register of Copyrights a presidential appointee, cleared its first legislative hurdle last week, passing the House Judiciary Committee by a 27-1 vote, less than a week after it was introduced.
This week, the unexpected release of a report from the Library of Congress Inspector General’s office has thrown a startling twist into the tale, reports Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer.
“This report was not intended for public release, though it was entered into the record at the bill’s mark-up session last week, just before it passed out of committee. TechDirt was first to share it on Monday,” he tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally.
“Specifically, the report references an electronic licensing project at the Copyright Office dubbed ‘eLi.’ It was launched in 2010 with a $1.1 million budget approval, but the report notes that over six years, costs ballooned to $11.6 million before the project had to be scrapped in October of 2016,” Albanese says.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.