An Act to amend title 17 of the United States Code to remove the expiration date for a limited copyright in sound recordings, to increase the criminal penalties for piracy and counterfeiting of sound recordings, to extend the duration of copyright protection in certain cases, to establish a National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works, and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-573 · S. 3976 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Dec 31, 1974 · Commerce
Sponsor: Sen. John McClellan (D-AR)
Cosponsors (2): Sen. Hugh Scott, Sen. Howard Baker
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 292 yea, 101 nay292–101
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Provides for the elimination of the copyright expiration date of January 1, 1975, for a limited copyright in sound recordings for the purpose of protecting against unauthorized duplication and piracy of sound recordings.
Sets forth increased criminal penalties for piracy and counterfeiting of sound recordings, and for the knowing and fraudulent transportation, sale, or receipt of phonograph records bearing forged or counterfeit labels.
Establishes in the Library of Congress a National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works. States that the purpose of the Commission is to study and compile data on: (1) the reproduction and use of copyrighted works of authorship (A) in conjunction with automatic systems capable of storing, processing, retrieving, and transferring information, and (B) by various forms of machine reproduction, not including reproduction by or at the request of instructors for use in face-to-face teaching activities; and (2) the creation of new works by the application or intervention of such automatic systems or machine reproduction.
Authorizes appropriations of such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 292 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
292 yea101 nay41 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(145)
- Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
- Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-5
- Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
- Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
- Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19- Rep. Jerome WaldieD-CA-14
- Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
- Rep. William FordD-MI-15
- Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
- Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-37
- Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
- Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-38
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
- Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
- Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
- Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
- Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
- Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
- Rep. John DentD-PA-21
- Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
- Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
- Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
- Rep. James CormanD-CA-22
- Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-29
- Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
- Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
- Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
- Rep. Richard Vander VeenD-MI-5
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
- Rep. Robert TiernanD-RI-2
- Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
- Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
- Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
- Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
- Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
- Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
- Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Chester HolifieldD-CA-19
- Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
- Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
- Rep. Frank DenholmD-SD-1
- Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
- Rep. John BlatnikD-MN-8
- Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
- Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
- Rep. John PatmanD-TX-1
- Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-2
- Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
- Rep. Ogden ReidD-NY-24
- Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
- Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
- Rep. John McFallD-CA-15
- Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
- Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
- Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
- Rep. Peter KyrosD-ME-1
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
- Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
- Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
- Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
- Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
- Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
- Rep. John KluczynskiD-IL-5
- Rep. Richard FultonD-TN-5
- Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
- Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
- Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
- Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
- Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
- Rep. Harold DonohueD-MA-3
- Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
- Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-41
- Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. Martha GriffithsD-MI-17
- Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
- Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
- Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
- Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
- Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
- Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
- Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
- Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
- Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
- Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
- Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
- Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
- Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
- Rep. John CulverD-IA-2
- Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
- Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
- Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
- Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
- Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
- Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
- Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
- Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
- Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
- Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
- Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
- Rep. Williamson StuckeyD-GA-8
- Rep. William RoyD-KS-2
- Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
- Rep. Thaddeus DulskiD-NY-37
- Rep. Robert StephensD-GA-10
- Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. James StantonD-OH-20
- Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
- Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
- Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
- Rep. Thomas GettysD-SC-5
- Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
- Rep. Phillip LandrumD-GA-9
- Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
- Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
- Rep. William DornD-SC-3
- Rep. Edith GreenD-OR-3
- Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
- Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
- Rep. Felix HébertD-LA-1
- Rep. James MannD-SC-4
- Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
- Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
- Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
- Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3
Republicans who voted yea(146)
- Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
- Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
- Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
- Rep. Robert SteeleR-CT-2
- Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
- Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
- Rep. Paul CroninR-MA-5
- Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
- Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
- Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
- Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
- Rep. William WidnallR-NJ-7
- Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
- Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
- Rep. Bob MathiasR-CA-18
- Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
- Rep. Marvin EschR-MI-2
- Rep. Charles SandmanR-NJ-2
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
- Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
- Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
- Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-1
- Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
- Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
- Rep. Donald BrotzmanR-CO-2
- Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
- Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
- Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
- Rep. Joseph MarazitiR-NJ-13
- Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
- Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
- Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
- Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
- Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
- Rep. Lawrence WilliamsR-PA-7
- Rep. Orval HansenR-ID-2
- Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
- Rep. Jerry PettisR-CA-33
- Rep. Vernon ThomsonR-WI-3
- Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
- Rep. Lawrence HoganR-MD-5
- Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
- Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
- Rep. Dick ShoupR-MT-1
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4- Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
- Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
- Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
- Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
- Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-40
- Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
- Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
- Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
- Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
- Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5- Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
- Rep. Samuel YoungR-IL-10
- Rep. David TowellR-NV
- Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-12
- Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
- Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
- Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
- Rep. Charles GubserR-CA-10
- Rep. Vinegar Bend MizellR-NC-5
- Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
- Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
- Rep. Victor VeyseyR-CA-43
- Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
- Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
- Rep. John HuntR-NJ-1
- Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
- Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
- Rep. Charles ChamberlainR-MI-6
- Rep. John DellenbackR-OR-4
- Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
- Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
- Rep. Henry SmithR-NY-36
- Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
- Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
- Rep. Roger ZionR-IN-8
- Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
- Rep. Richard MallaryR-VT
- Rep. Howard RobisonR-NY-27
- Rep. Robert HanrahanR-IL-3
- Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
- Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
- Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
- Rep. William ScherleR-IA-5
- Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-28
- Rep. Andrew HinshawR-CA-39
- Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
- Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
- Rep. Harold FroehlichR-WI-8
- Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-42
- Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
- Rep. Wiley MayneR-IA-6
- Rep. Carleton KingR-NY-29
- Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
- Rep. William HudnutR-IN-11
- Rep. Ancher NelsenR-MN-2
- Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
- Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
- Rep. John WareR-PA-5
- Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
- Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
- Rep. Leslie ArendsR-IL-15
- Rep. LaMar BakerR-TN-3
- Rep. Peter FrelinghuysenR-NJ-5
- Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-20
- Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-27
- Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
- Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
- Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-13
- Rep. David MartinR-NE-3
- Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6- Rep. William KetchumR-CA-36
- Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
- Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
- Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
- Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
- Rep. Walter PowellR-OH-8
- Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
- Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-25
- Rep. Benjamin BlackburnR-GA-4
- Rep. Craig HosmerR-CA-32
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. Sam SteigerR-AZ-3
- Rep. Robert HuberR-MI-18
- Rep. Glenn DavisR-WI-9
- Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
- Rep. David DennisR-IN-10
- Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4
- Rep. John RousselotR-CA-24
- Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
- Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
- Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
- Rep. Earl LandgrebeR-IN-2
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1069 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
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. 9 actions.
- Dec 31, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-573.
- Dec 24, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 19, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #715 (292-101).House roll call 715
- Dec 12, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 11, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 9, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.