Dear Friend,
Creators are within inches of securing real protection for their work for the first time, but we need Oregon Senator Ron Wyden’s support.
The creative economy in the United States represents hundreds of thousands of direct jobs and is a key component of our culture. When copyrighted work is stolen, the average songwriter, musician, photographer, graphic designer, artist, author or filmmaker has rights but no remedies, because the cost of a federal copyright case averages nearly $400,000.
Senator Ron Wyden, acting alone, has placed a “hold” on the
CASE Act to prevent it from getting a vote. His opposition stems from concerns raised by anti-copyright groups. We have only a few days to get him to drop his hold on the bill to allow passage before the end of the year when other issues consume the Senate.
We can get this done if EVERYONE in the music community gives Senator Wyden a quick call at 202-224-5244. It only takes a few seconds, you give your zip code and leave a brief message, like "Please support musicians and remove your hold on the CASE Act. We need this bill."
Unions, creative groups, and small business owners across the country support the CASE Act, which provides an affordable small claims court that caps damages and doesn’t require lawyers. The bill passed the US House of Representatives 410-6, passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and is ready for a Senate vote, where it has bipartisan support.
The CASE Act is well-crafted legislation.
- Its appeal process is fully consistent with the Federal Arbitration Act
- It’s a voluntary process that either party can opt out of
- It caps damages at $15,000 per incident, but doesn’t change the liability standards for copyright law
- The Copyright Office has the authority to institute penalties for trolls or any abusers of the system
In Unity,
Ray Hair
AFM International President
