Copyright Law of the United States of America and Related Laws Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code, Circular 92 · United States
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.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.