Howard Coble

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), who has been very helpful and very supportive in this matter.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, did I understand that I have 3 minutes remaining, and that I have the right to close?

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), who authored title III of this bill.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, it has been mentioned about the importance of data base, the importance of patent and trademark. These are two areas, Madam Speaker, that cry out to be addressed, and I regret that they were not addressed in a proper and fitting way this session. I hope it can be done next time, in the 106th session the Congress. I think, from what I have heard today, it will be generously laced with bipartisanship, and I feel optimistic about that. Having said that, I want to again thank everybody who placed their oars into these waters and I urge the adoption of the conference report on H.R. 2281.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2281) to amend title 17, United States Code, to implement the World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty and Performances and Phonograms Treaty, and for other purposes. (For conference report, see proceedings of the House of Thursday, October 8, 1998, at page H10048.)

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2281, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. It is not uncommon on this Hill for many people to take great pride in authorship and oftentimes refer to legislation that comes from our respective committees as ``landmark legislation,'' but I think that all who are familiar with this piece of legislation will agree that this is truly landmark legislation. H.R. 2281 represents a monumental improvement to our copyright law and will enable the United States to remain the world leader in the protection of intellectual property. Madam Speaker, we could not have reached this point without the collective efforts of many. I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, for his constant support and guidance. I am also appreciative to the work of the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte). I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary, and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), ranking member on the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property. I also thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) who invested much time and effort in developing this legislation. The valuable contributions of several members from the Committee on Commerce must also be recognized: the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Bliley); and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), ranking member; the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection; and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), ranking member; as well as the gentleman from Washington (Mr. White); and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Dan Schaefer), who were also instrumental in facilitating agreement on portions of the bill. I finally must thank several senators for their diligence in drafting and moving H.R. 2281: the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Senator Orrin Hatch; ranking member, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont; as well as my friend from South Carolina, Senator Strom Thurmond; all were instrumental in bringing about this important achievement in the copyright law. H.R. 2281 is the most comprehensive copyright bill since 1976 and adds substantial value to our copyright law. It will implement two treaties which are extremely important to ensure adequate protection for American works in countries around the world in the digital age. It does this by making it unlawful to defeat technological protections used by copyright owners to protect their works, including preventing unlawful access and targeting devices made to circumvent encrypted material. *****-*****- Payroll No.: -Name: -Folios: -Date: -Subformat: It furthermore makes it unlawful to deliberately alter or delete information provided by a copyright owner which identifies a work, its owner and its permissible uses. H.R. 2281 furthermore addresses a number of other important copyright issues. It clarifies the circumstances under which on-line and Internet access providers could be liable when infringing material is transmitted on-line through their services. It ensures that independent service organizations do not inadvertently become liable for copyright infringement merely because they have activated a machine in order to service its hardware components. It also creates an efficient statutory licensing system for certain performances and reproductions made by webcasters which will benefit both the users of copyrighted works and the copyright owners. Unfortunately, in arriving at the final agreement on what would be included in H.R. 2281, title V of the House-passed version, which provided for limited protection of databases, was removed. I am pleased, however, that we were able to bring that issue so far this session. It is important legislation that will benefit many industries and businesses in the United States, and I intend to work diligently next session to pass it. I appreciate and would be remiss if I did not mention at this time statements by Senator Hatch and Senator Leahy made on the floor of the other body that they pledge to take up a database protection bill early in the next Congress. Madam Speaker, 2281 is necessary legislation to ensure the protection of copyrighted works as the world moves into the digital environment. This will ensure that American works will flourish as we move further into the new millennium. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2281. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 10 minutes of my time to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bliley) and ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control that time.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from the further consideration of the Senate bill (S. 1525) to provide financial assistance for higher education to the dependents of Federal, State, and local public safety officers who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as the result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I too yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fox).

Mr. COBLE. Madam. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, as we were all so painfully reminded this past July, law enforcement officers are at risk for serious injury or loss of life every time they don their uniform. The United States Capitol serves as an international symbol for peace and justice, and yet on July 24 this year a violent and angry gunman shattered that image and took the lives of two heroic and dedicated police officers. It is a national tragedy, but the sacrifices made by Officers Gibson and Chestnut were not the first and will not be the last. Even as we work to further secure the lives of our law enforcement officers, we can and must seek out new ways in which to express our gratitude. This legislation provides such an opportunity. Nationwide, police departments offer emotional, spiritual and financial support to spouses and children of deceased officers. The Federal Government, too, offers several benefits and assistance programs. For example, the program we are amending today as a result of a bill we passed in the last Congress provides educational assistance to dependents of Federal officers who are permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty. H.R. 3046, the Police, Fire and Emergency Officers Act of 1998, extends the Federal educational assistance benefits to dependents of State and local law enforcement officers killed or permanently injured in the line of duty. Thankfully, there is a small number of persons who are eligible under the program at the Federal law enforcement level. The Bureau of Justice Assistance, within the Department of Justice, anticipates that additional funding for other public safety officers' dependents should not pose any new financial changes. Specifically, the costs to Federal law enforcement dependents assistance program are estimated to be $515,000 in 1998, including the estimated number of new survivors. That number includes, Madam Speaker, $182,000 for 30 Federal survivors, plus $333,000 for an estimated 55 new survivors under the extension this legislation proposes. Madam Speaker, this legislation can have an enormous impact on the quality of life for a child whose mother or father may have died while in service to the public. The Congress should pass this legislation as an expression of thanks to those public safety officers who have given their lives for the good of our citizenry. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3046) to provide financial assistance for higher education to the dependents of Federal, State, and local public safety officers who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as the result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty, as amended.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I offer a motion.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 3528 is designed to address the problem of high caseloads burdening the Federal courts. This legislation will provide a quicker, more efficient method by which to resolve some Federal cases when the parties or the courts so choose. H.R. 3528 directs each Federal trial court to establish some form of alternative dispute resolution, popularly known as ADR, which could include arbitration, mediation, mini trials, or early neutral evaluation or some combination of those for certain civil cases. The bill also provides for the confidentiality of the alternative dispute resolution process and prohibits the disclosure of such confidential communications. The version considered today is substantially the same as the one we passed under suspension in April, with minor Senate clarifications. The bill has no known opposition and is supported by the American Bar Association, the Judicial Conference and the Department of Justice. This legislation will provide the Federal courts with the tools necessary to present quality alternatives to intensive Federal litigation. In sum, this is a good bill that will offer our citizens a reasonable and cost-effective alternative to expensive Federal litigation, while at the same time still guaranteeing their right to have their day in court. I urge my colleagues, Madam Speaker, to pass H.R. 3528. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 3528) to amend title 28, United States Code, with respect to the use of alternative dispute resolution processes in United States district courts, and for other purposes.

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill H.R. 3528.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Sunday, October 11, 1998.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns tomorrow, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, October 12, 1998 for morning hour debates.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2193) to implement the provisions of the Trademark Law Treaty.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to thank the gentleman from Virginia for his help in this as well. Mr. Speaker, I have no requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 2193 consists of changes to public law that will enable us to implement the Trademark Law Treaty, popularly referred to as TLT, which the Senate ratified on June 26 of this year. There are 35 signatory nations to the TLT, which is designed to harmonize many trademark procedures around the world in an effort to simplify the registration process. These changes are especially important to American small businesses that wish to register their marks overseas but are unable to do so in every individual country because the process is too laborious and expensive. By enacting S. 2193, we will expand the ability of American businesses to conduct commerce abroad and diminish trademark piracy that has flourished in the absence of the TLT. The bill is largely identical, Mr. Speaker, to H.R. 1661, the House version of the TLT Implementation Act, which we passed under suspension in July of last year. In addition, S. 2193 consists of technical changes to the Lanham, or Trademark, Act, as well as compromise language governing the use of certification marks. Finally, the measure also empowers the Commissioner of Patents And Trademarks to conduct a study of the official insignia of Federally and State recognized Native American tribes. Mr. Speaker, this is a noncontroversial and important bill which the Senate passed on September 17 of this year. I urge my colleagues to adopt it so we can send S. 2193 to the President for his signature. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.