Today, the House of Representatives' IP subcommittee is set to mark-up H.R. 4279, the Pro-IP bill. My views on the bill have been previously expressed. I am very happy to report that Section 104, which would have amended Section 504(c)(1) to alter the way in which awards of statutory damages may be awarded for compilations and derivative works, is to be deleted in the manager's amendment.
Mother Jones' admonition "Don't Mourn Organize," certainly fit in this case. There are many who should be thanked for speaking up on the proposal, but we should also thank Chairmen Conyers and Berman, the committee and personal staff, and the Copyright Office for listening. Committee staff and the Copyright Office devoted a great deal of attention to the issue and the round table that was held was very well run and very balanced; it was government at its best.
Deletion of the provision may lead to a broader discussion of statutory damages which would also be helpful.
Lovely. Now we just need sections 101, 102, 105, 106, and 202 to be stricken, and the bill will merely be bad and stupid, rather than utterly intolerable. Better yet, proponents of the bill could suddenly have an unheard-of bout of common sense and drop the matter entirely.
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