H.R. 6496: Fairness for American Small Creators Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-12-08 · Commerce · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-12-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. 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.

What does this mean?

Official title

Fairness for American Small Creators Act

Plain summary

Fairness for American Small Creators Act This bill establishes in the U.S. Copyright Office a copyright claims board to serve as an alternative forum for parties to choose to resolve certain copyright claims if the total damages sought by a party do not exceed $30,000. The board must certify its determinations on copyright claims, counterclaims, and defenses for confirmation by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The board is authorized to: (1) conduct hearings and conferences; (2) facilitate settlements; (3) render independent determinations based on copyright laws and regulations without consultation from the Register of Copyrights regarding the facts of a case; (4) award damages; and (5) require cessation or mitigation of infringing activity, including the takedown or destruction of infringing materials, where the parties agree. The bill preserves the right of parties to instead pursue a claim or defense in court. The board may conduct proceedings through Internet-based teleconference applications. Discovery shall be limited to the production of relevant information and documents, written interrogatories, and written requests for admission. But the board may request specific information or approve a party's request for additional limited discovery. A party may request: (1) the claims board to reconsider its determinations, and (2) the Register of Copyrights to review whether the claims board abused its discretion in denying any requested reconsideration. The Register of Copyrights may issue regulations to dispose of any claim with total damages of $5,000 or less through a process that provides for: (1) one copyright claims officer to consider the claim and issue a determination, and (2) a copyright claims attorney to determine whether the case shall be heard by one officer or the board. A party may not assert before a court or tribunal any claim resolved by the board's final determination, but parties may petition the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to vacate, modify, or correct a determination that: (1) was issued as a result of fraud, corruption, misconduct, or undue means; (2) exceeds the board's authority or was executed so imperfectly that the determination was neither final nor definite; or (3) was based on a default determination or failure to prosecute that was due to excusable neglect. If a party fails to pay damages or comply with relief awarded in a final board determination, the aggrieved party may apply for a court order confirming the final award.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Fairness for American Small Creators Act

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. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27] reported raising $1.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr6496.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr6496 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114