HOUSE VOTES TO GIVE SOME POWERS OF LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS TO TRUMP.

[Cattledog]

http://bookriot.com/2017/05/18/the-house-just-voted-to-give-the-powers-of-the-first-african-american-librarian-of-congress-to-donald-trump/

Dr. Carla Hayden, the current and 14th Librarian of Congress, is many things: a brilliant scholar, a forty year veteran of libraries, a defender of equal access, a former president of the American Library Association (ALA), and a rescuer of baby ducks. She is also the first African American and the first woman to hold her position as the highest ranked librarian in the United States.

And it just so happens that Congress recently voted to limit her powers.

On April 26, 2017, the House of Representatives voted 378 to 48 in favor of the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act (H.R. 1695). You can read the bill’s full text here. The bill’s name implies that it focuses on the mundane details of copyright law, and to some extent, it does. But it also limits the position of Librarian of Congress. In particular, if it is passed by the Senate, the act will prevent Hayden from appointing the next Register of Copyrights.

Instead, the power to choose the next Register of Copyrights will fall to the executive branch. More specifically, it will rest in the hands of current President Donald Trump.

[jberryhill]

1. Ah, so he'll finally be able to appoint plagiarist Monica Crowley to something

Or Meredith McIver, whomever she may be.

[defacto7]

2. How convenient for business.

Trump loves to copyright anything he can get his hands on. I wonder if he plans to copyright the phrase, "prime the pump" ?

[angrychair]

3. Copyrights and trademarks

FOLLOW THE MONEY

[Else You Are Mad]

4. I wonder how many money making stories...

will fall into the public domain then will be able to be snatched up by Trump's wealthy producers and publishers?