Joe Morelle

Since its founding back in 1800, the Library of Congress has become more than a repository of books; it is the very cornerstone of American democracy.

I look forward to a robust discussion today to ensure we are working to advance the Library of Congress's modernization efforts.

It is, if you are a farmer and you have to have a point where your whole year is relying on being able to harvest and your harvester goes down and you cannot get access to repair, it is really having a deleterious effect on their work and…

Because it is interesting, AI does not--I mean, there has to be some human involvement, right? I mean, you have to train the models, you have to write the algorithms.

I think sometimes people are surprised when you mention that copyright is actually listed in the United States Constitution.

Thank you, Ms. Perlmutter, for--not only for being here today and being very thorough in your responses but for your leadership.

I think the conversation was really an important one and very insightful.

It is really having a deleterious effect on their work and on their business.

There has to be some human involvement, right? I mean, you have to train the models, you have to write the algorithms.

Thank you for that exchange, which was really helpful.

The Founders recognized the importance, enshrining the right in the Constitution as promoting the progress of science and useful arts.

It is great to have you here to talk about this and the critical role that the Copyright Office plays in promoting creativity, innovation, and economic growth in our Nation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership, for calling this on this really, really important topic.

My colleagues like to say their goal on the Republican side is to make it easy to vote, hard to cheat. I agree with that goal.

It is important for the American people to understand the divergent paths the two parties are offering, because you could not have more opposing views of American democracy.

This amendment will reassure Americans that foreign donors will not be able to influence our courts.

This amendment would add a prohibition to this bill to prevent foreign donors from promoting, supporting, attacking, or opposing the nomination of Senate confirmation of an individual who is under consideration for a Federal judgeship.

I fear that nothing in this bill, in my mind, can make it any better, so I would urge defeat of the amendment, defeat of the underlying bill.

Mr. Morelle. I ask for a recorded vote.

I have explained repeatedly how damaging I believe the underlying bill before the Committee will be and how damaging the conspiracy theories are that Republicans use that underpin the legislation and continue to repeat.

We know this bill is not a serious legislative exercise. It is a vehicle to undermine American confidence in elections.

This bill is unreasonably restrictive. The bill would create extreme documentary requirements nationwide, making it much, much, much harder to vote.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes.

This amendment, which is the DISCLOSE Act, is about making sure that the American people have transparency around the foreign and big money spenders that have such a significant impact on our electoral system.

As Justice Louis Brandeis famously stated, 'Sunlight is the best disinfectant.'