U.S.A. Copyright Law | Page 4

Copyright Ownership and Transfer + Chapter 3 - Duration of Copyright
+ Chapter 4 - Copyright Notice, Deposit, and Registration + Chapter 5 -
Copyright Infringement and Remedies + Chapter 6 - Manufacturing
Requirements and Importation + Chapter 7 - Copyright Office +
Chapter 8 - Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panels + Chapter 9 -
Protection of Semiconductor Chip Products + Chapter 10 - Digital
Audio Recording Devices and Media + Chapter 11 - Sound Recordings
and Music Videos + Chapter 12 - Copyright Protection and
Management Systems + Chapter 13 - Protection of Original Designs +
Appendix I. Transitional and Supplementary Provisions of the
Copyright Act of 1976 + Appendix II. Berne Convention
Implementation Act of 1988 + Appendix III. Uruguay Round
Agreements Act + Appendix IV. GATT/Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement,
Part II, Section 6:
Layout-Designs (Topographies) of Integrated Circuits + Appendix V.
Additional Provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act +
Appendix VI. Definition of "Berne Convention Work" + Appendix VII.
Selected Provisions of the U.S. Code Relating to Copyright
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The Constitutional Provision Respecting Copyright
The Congress shall have Power ... To promote the Progress of Science
and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors

the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries
(United States Constitution, Article I, Section 8)
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Preface
This volume contains the text of title 17 of the *United States Code*,
including all amendments enacted through the end of the second
session of the 106th Congress in 2000. It includes the Copyright Act of
1976 and all subsequent amendments to copyright law; the
Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984, as amended; and the
Vessel Hull Design Protection Act, as amended. The Copyright Office
is responsible for registering claims under all three.
The United States copyright law is contained in chapters 1 through 8
and 10 through 12 of title 17 of the *United States Code.* The
Copyright Act of 1976, which provides the basic framework for the
current copyright law, was enacted on October 19, 1976 as Pub. L. No.
94-553, 90 Stat. 2541. Listed below in chronological order of their
enactment are subsequent amendments to copyright law.
Chapters
9 and 13 of title 17 contain statutory design protection that is
independent of copyright protection. Chapter 9 of title 17 is the
Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984 (SCPA), as amended. On
November 8, 1984, the SCPA was enacted as title III of Pub. L. No.
98-620, 98 Stat. 3335, 3347. Chapter 13 of title 17 is the Vessel Hull
Design Protection Act (VHDPA). It was enacted on October 28, 1998
as title V of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Pub. L.
No. 105-304, 112 Stat. 2860, 2905. Subsequent amendments to the
SCPA and the VHDPA are also included in the list below, in
chronological order of their enactment.
For transitional and supplementary copyright provisions that were
enacted as part of the Copyright Act of 1976 and the DMCA, but which

do not amend title 17, see the Appendix.
Statutory Enactments Contained in Title 17 of the *United States
Code*
+ [Copyright Act of 1976], Pub. L. No. 94-553, 90 Stat. 2541 (for the
general revision of copyright law, title 17 of the *United States Code*,
and for other purposes), October 19, 1976.
+ Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1978, Pub. L. No. 95-94, 91
Stat. 653, 682 (amending Sec. 203 and 708, title 17, *United States
Code*, regarding the deposit of moneys by the Register of Copyrights
in the Treasury of the United States), enacted August 5, 1977.
+ [Copyright Amendments], Pub. L. No. 95-598, 92 Stat. 2549, 2676
(amending Sec. 201(e), title 17, *United States Code*, to permit
involuntary transfer under the Bankruptcy Law), enacted November 6,
1978.
+ [Copyright Amendments], Pub. L. No. 96-517, 94 Stat. 3015, 3028
(amending Sec. 101 and 117, title 17, *United States Code*, regarding
computer programs), enacted December 12, 1980.
+ Piracy and Counterfeiting Amendments Act of 1982, Pub. L. No.
97-180, 96 Stat. 91, 93 (amending Sec. 506(a), title 17, *United States
Code* and title 18 of the *United States Code*), enacted May 24,
1982.
+ [Copyright Amendments], Pub. L. No. 97-215, 96 Stat. 178
(amending the manufacturing clause in chapter 6, title 17, *United
States Code*), enacted July 13, 1982.
+ [Copyright Amendments], Pub. L. No. 97-366, 96 Stat. 1759
(amending Sec. 110 and Sec. 708, title 17, *United States Code*,
regarding the redesignation of registration fees as filing fees, and the
exemption from copyright liability of certain performances of
nondramatic literary or musical works), enacted October 25, 1982.

+ Record Rental Amendment of 1984, Pub. L. No. 98-450, 98 Stat.
1727 (amending Sec. 109 and Sec. 115, title 17, *United States Code*,
with respect to rental, lease or lending of sound recordings), enacted
October 4, 1984.
+