H.R. 5439: Orphan Works Act of 2006
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H.R. 5439: Orphan Works Act of 2006
109th Congress · introduced 2006-05-22 · Commerce · Latest: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2006-05-22 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote . Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
Orphan Works Act of 2006
Plain summary
Orphan Works Act of 2006 - Limits the remedies available in a copyright infringement action if the infringer proves that: (1) the infringer performed and documented a reasonably diligent search in good faith to locate the copyright owner before using the work, but was unable to locate the owner; and (2) the infringing use of the work provided attribution to the author and owner of the copyright, if known. Requires the Register of Copyrights to make information available from authoritative sources to assist users in conducting and documenting a reasonably diligent search. Permits an award of reasonable compensation for the use of the infringed work, except if: (1) the infringement is performed without any commercial advantage and for primarily a charitable, religious, scholarly, or educational purpose; and (2) the infringer ceases the infringement expeditiously after receiving notice of the claim for infringement. Allows the court to impose injunctive relief to prevent or restrain the infringing use, but such relief shall account for harm caused to the infringer due to reliance on having performed a reasonably diligent search. Prohibits the court from imposing injunctive relief that restrains the continued preparation or use of a new work that recasts, transforms, adapts, or integrates the infringed work with the infringer's original expression in a new work of authorship if the infringer pays reasonable compensation and provides attribution to the copyright owner. Requires the Register of Copyrights to conduct an inquiry with respect to remedies for copyright infringement claims seeking limited amounts of monetary relief, including consideration of alternatives to disputes currently heard in the U.S. district courts.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
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A “Nay” vote
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What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
Orphan Works Act of 2006
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
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Alternatives
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · 0 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr5439.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>
Record fed-us-cong109-hr5439 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109