Jerry Nadler: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2426, the Copyright Alternative in…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2426, the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2019, or the CASE Act. This important bipartisan legislation would establish a voluntary small claims court within the Copyright Office to hear copyright suits seeking $30,000 or less in total damages. Today, many small creators, especially visual artists, are unable to protect their rights because the cost of pursuing an infringement claim in Federal court is far greater, as much as 10 times or more than the damages they could ever hope to receive. Few attorneys would take a case when such limited damages are at stake because they would not likely recoup their costs. It is a fundamental principle of the American legal system that a right must have a remedy. But if it costs $250,000 to recover a few thousand dollars from someone who has infringed your copyright, then what remedy do you really have? The CASE Act would provide important protections for the many independent creators who are currently unable to protect their work in Federal court. It would establish a small claims board within the Copyright Office to resolve infringement claims seeking $30,000 or less in total damages, with claims officers appointed by the Librarian of Congress. The proceedings are designed to be less expensive and much easier to navigate, even without an attorney, than Federal court.…”