Copyright Remedy Clarification Act
Public Law 101-553 · H.R. 3045 · 101st Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 15, 1990 · Commerce
Sponsor: Rep. Robert Kastenmeier (D-WI-2)
Cosponsors (16): Rep. Carlos Moorhead, Rep. George Crockett,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Copyright Remedy Clarification Act - Amends Federal copyright law to provide that any State, State instrumentality, or officer or employee of the State or State instrumentality is liable to the same extent as any nongovernmental entity for: (1) copyright infringement; (2) importation of phonorecord copies without the authority of the copyright owner; and (3) infringement of exclusive rights in mask works. Denies sovereign immunity to any State for such violations and provides the same remedies as are available against other private or public entities, including attorney's fees.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 35 actions.
- Nov 15, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-553.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 6, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 26, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motions to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · The previous question was ordered without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Kastenmeier brought up conference report H.Rept. 101-887 for consideration as a privileged matter.
- Oct 20, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Oct 17, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference papers: Senate report and managers' statement and official papers held at the desk in Senate.
- Oct 16, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report H. Rept. 101-887 filed.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report H. Rept. 101-887 filed.
- Oct 15, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Oct 1, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to request for conference. Appointed conferees. DeConcini; Leahy; Kennedy; Hatch; Grassley.
- FloorFloor · Senate insists on its amendments by Voice Vote.
- Sep 28, 1990FloorFloor · Message on House action received in Senate and held at desk: House requests a conference.
- Sep 27, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · The chair appointed conferees: Kastenmeier, Crockett, Berman, Moorhead, and Coble.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Brooks asked unanimous consent that the House disagree to the Senate amendments, and request a conference.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House disagree to the Senate amendments, and request a conference Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · The Speaker, by unanimous consent, reserved the authority to appoint additional conferees.
- Jun 26, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 497 with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Jun 5, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Mar 22, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Oct 18, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Oct 16, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.