Sheila Jackson Lee: “I include in the Record a letter from the Content Creators Coalition, dated April 25, 2017, in support of this…”

“I include in the Record a letter from the Content Creators Coalition, dated April 25, 2017, in support of this legislation. April 25, 2017. Congressional Black Caucus Member: On behalf of the Content Creators Coalition, we write in support of H.R. 1695, the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act, which would modernize and provide greater transparency to the process of selecting the Register of the Copyright Office. This is vital legislation that will strengthen the Copyright Office. We believe this selection process should be granted a similar import, rigor, and transparency as the processes of selecting other organizations, such as the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, that oversee large industries: Presidential nomination and Senate confirmation. In light of the specialized knowledge required to lead this office, we also support the appointment of an advisory group to suggest candidates for consideration. This legislation would place the Copyright Office on equal footing as other economically and culturally vital agencies. It has wide bipartisan support and was passed out of the typically polarized House Judiciary Committee on a vote of 27-1. As artists of color, we find it deeply offensive that opponents of this bill have attempted to recast their anti- creators' rights goals into a smear campaign against its sponsors and supporters, insinuating that the legislation is about the race and gender of the current Librarian of Congress.…”