National Recording Preservation Act of 2000
Public Law 106-474 · H.R. 4846 · 106th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 9, 2000 · Arts, Culture, Religion
Sponsor: Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA-21)
Cosponsors (14): Rep. Steny Hoyer, Rep. John Boehner,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 - Title I: Sound Recording Preservation by the library of Congress - Subtitle A: National Recording Registry - Requires the Librarian of congress to: (1) establish the National Recording Registry for the purpose of maintaining and preserving sound recordings that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant; (2) establish criteria and procedures under which sound recordings may be included in the Registry, except that no sound recording shall be eligible for such inclusion until ten years after its creation; (3) establish procedures for general public recommendations to the National Recording Preservation Board (established under this Act) regarding the inclusion of sound recordings in the Registry; and (4) determine which sound recordings meet the established criteria and select them for inclusion, up to a maximum of 25 sound recordings or groups of sound recordings each year.
(Sec. 103) Requires the Librarian to provide a seal to indicate that a selected sound recording has been included in the Registry and is the Registry version of that recording. Requires the Librarian to establish guidelines for approval of the use of the seal. Specifies prohibited uses, as well as remedies for violation of such prohibitions, including a civil fine and injunctive relief.
(Sec. 104) Requires copies of such sound recordings on the Registry received under this Act to be maintained in the Library of Congress as the National Recording Registry Collection of the Library of Congress. Limits preservation to only one copy of the same version or take of any recording. Requires the Librarian to provide for reasonable access to the sound recordings and other materials in the collection for scholarly and research purposes.
Subtitle B: National Sound Recording Preservation Program - Requires the Librarian to: (1) implement a comprehensive national recording preservation program, in conjunction with other recording archivists, educators and historians, copyright owners, recording industry representatives, and others involved in activities related to recording preservation, and taking into account studies conducted by the Board; (2) use the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center of the Library at Culpeper, Virginia, to ensure proper storage of preserved sound recordings; and (3) carry out activities to make sound recordings more accessible for research and educational purposes, and to generate public awareness and support of the Registry and such program.
Subtitle C: National Recording Preservation Board - Requires the Librarian to establish in the Library of Congress a National Recording Preservation Board to: (1) review nominations of sound recordings for inclusion in the Registry; and (2) advise the Librarian with respect to the inclusion and the preservation of these and other sound recordings that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
(Sec. 124) Requires the Board to study and report on the current state of Library of Congress sound recording archiving, preservation, and restoration activities, taking into account the research and other activities carried out by or on behalf of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center.
Subtitle D: General Provisions - Authorizes appropriations.
Title II: National Recording Preservation Foundation - Grants a Federal charter to the National Recording Preservation Foundation (a charitable and nonprofit corporation that is not a Federal Government agency or establishment).
(Sec. 201) Authorizes the Librarian to: (1) provide, on a reimbursable basis, personnel, facilities, and other administrative services to the corporation; and (2) accept the services of the corporation and its directors, officers, and employees as volunteers in performing functions authorized under this Act, without compensation from the Library of Congress.
Authorizes appropriations in an amount equal to private donations to the corporation, for reimbursement of the Library for such personnel, facilities, and other administrative services. Bars the use of such funds for the corporation's own administrative expenses, including salaries, travel, transportation, and overhead expenses.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
- Judiciary Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee
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. 16 actions.
- Nov 9, 2000Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-474.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 2, 2000PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 1, 2000Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate receded from its amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House disagree to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Thomas asked unanimous consent that the House disagree to the Senate amendments.
- FloorFloor · Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House disagrees to Senate amendments.
- Oct 25, 2000FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 25, 2000FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Ney moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Jul 24, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Jul 13, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Committee on House Administration
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.