A bill moving through the U.S. Congress could change who controls the US Copyright Office.
And why this matters!
by Leslie Hughes, DMLA
For 156 years, the U.S. Copyright Office has operated as part of the Library of Congress, serving as the nation's principal authority on copyright registration, policy, and administration.
In May 2025, the Trump administration removed Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and subsequently sought to replace Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter. The move came shortly after the Copyright Office released a report examining the use of copyrighted works in the training of generative AI systems.
The administration installed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as Acting Librarian of Congress, who then moved to appoint Department of Justice official Paul Perkins as Register of Copyrights. Perlmutter sued Trump, arguing that the Register of Copyrights serves under the authority of the Librarian of Congress and cannot be removed by the President directly.
In September 2025, a federal appeals court reinstated Perlmutter, and she continues to serve as Register of Copyrights while the litigation proceeds.
This began a fight for control of the Copyright Office.
What began as a dispute over leadership has evolved into a broader debate about the future governance, independence, and role of the Copyright Office at a time when copyright issues related to artificial intelligence, licensing, authorship, and digital content are increasingly important.
On Monday, June 8, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to consider H.R. 6028, legislation that would move the Copyright Office out of the Library of Congress and establish it as an independent agency within the Legislative Branch.
DMLA has joined other organizations in expressing concern about changes that could affect the independence, expertise, and stability of the Copyright Office. As AI and other emerging technologies continue to challenge existing copyright frameworks, DMLA believes that a strong, expert, and independent Copyright Office is critical to supporting creators, rights holders, technology innovators, and the broader digital content ecosystem.
Those interested in following the proceedings may watch the House floor session live via C-SPAN or through the House of Representatives livestream at https://www.house.gov.
The specific time for debate on H.R. 6028 has not yet been announced. The House is currently scheduled to convene at 2:00 p.m. ET.
H.R. 6028
The bill being considered was introduced by Representative H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) in November 2025.
H.R. 6028,the Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act, would remove the U.S. Copyright Office from the supervision of the Library of Congress and change the way the Register of Copyrights is appointed.
At present, the Register of Copyrights is appointed by the Librarian of Congress.
H.R. 6028 would break that link.
The bill would remove the US Copyright Office from the Library of Congress‘s supervisory authority.
The Register would instead be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, serving a term of 10 years with the option of reappointment.
Before any appointment, the bill says, the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees would “jointly recommend 3 individuals whom the President may consider.”
It also requires the Register to be “a citizen of the United States with a background and experience in copyright law.”
Two other senior officials would move in the opposite direction: the Librarian of Congress and the head of the Government Publishing Office.
Both are currently appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
Under H.R. 6028, they would instead be selected through Congress.
Bipartisan nominees would be recommended by the chairs and ranking members of the House Administration Committee and the Senate Rules Committee, with congressional leadership making the appointment.
Those officials could be removed only by a majority vote of the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate.
Why the U.S. Copyright Office Matters
The work of the U.S. Copyright Office is fundamental to the digital media marketplace, helping support an ecosystem that generates billions of dollars in licensing revenue and protects the rights of creators, publishers, producers, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, and other copyright owners.
The Office administers the nation's copyright system, promotes creativity, and serves as the federal government's leading authority on copyright law and policy. Its responsibilities are divided into 5 primary functions:
Registration – Examining copyright applications, deposits, and fees to determine whether works qualify for copyright protection.
Recordation – Maintaining the public record of copyright ownership, transfers, assignments, and licensing documents.
Policy and Legal Advice – Advising Congress, federal agencies, and the courts on copyright issues while representing U.S. interests in international copyright discussions and treaty negotiations.
Licensing Administration – Managing statutory licensing programs and overseeing the collection and distribution of royalties to copyright owners.
Public Education and Mandatory Deposit – Educating the public about copyright law while administering the mandatory deposit provisions that help build and preserve the collections of the Library of Congress.
Today, the Copyright Office also finds itself at the center of some of the most important questions facing the creative economy, including the use of copyrighted works in the training of artificial intelligence systems, questions of authorship and ownership in AI-generated content, and the balance between innovation and intellectual property rights.
For DMLA members and the broader creative community, the independence, expertise, and credibility of the Copyright Office matter. The guidance and recommendations issued by the Office influence legislation, court decisions, licensing practices, and business models across the content ecosystem. The decisions being made today will help shape the future of creativity, innovation, and copyright for years to come.