Senators Hear Debate Allowing President to Pick Copyright Register

A bill to make the head of the U.S. Copyright Office a president-appointed, Senate-confirmed position would add public accountability to a crucial office, a copyright holder group said at a Senate panel hearing.

The bill (S. 1010) would create a panel of congressional leaders to submit three names from which the president would choose to appoint Copyright Register for a 10-year term. It would keep the Copyright Office as a part of the Library of Congress, whose head currently selects and can remove the Copyright Register. The Librarian of Congress would be part of the panel.

Keith Kupferschmid, ...