Orphan Works Bill on the floor.

[Senira]

Apparently some senators are pushing for the Orphan Works Bill to be tacked onto other, irrelevant legislation so that it can be passed in the next couple of days. I'll admit, I haven't really been keeping track of this issue, but I know it's important to a lot of people, so I'm putting notice up here.

The blogsphere's foaming at the mouth, saying that the bill is on the floor as we speak. To find the # for the office of your senator, go here. (http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/dbq/officials/) Once you put in your zip code, the contact information can be found at the bottom of the action alert box.

[Jessica]

I just received this update.

FROM THE ILLUSTRATORS' PARTNERSHIP

Orphan Works: Risking Our Nation's Copyright Wealth

The Senate has just passed their version of the Orphan Works Bill

Now we must try to stop the House Judiciary Committee from folding their bill and adopting the Senate version.

We've supplied a special letter for this purpose.

PLEASE EMAIL CONGRESS TONIGHT.

USE THIS LINK
http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/alert/?alertid=11980321

-Brad Holland and Cynthia Turner, for the Board of the Illustrators' Partnership
__________________________________________________

[Nam]

'We're passing this bill to severely punish people who microwave and rape kittens... oh... and there's some art thing attached to it too, pay it no mind guys'.

[Gory]

What the hell?

Doesn't the government have MUCH MUCH MUCH bigger worries at the moment?

This is ridiculous. Although I guess it doesn't surprise me, this is the exact sort of thing that the government does best.

Fuck me.

[Goog]

20 bucks says this gets laid on the table and forgotten about forever.

[Senira]

20 bucks says this gets laid on the table and forgotten about forever.

"Laid on the table?"

If it wasn't included in a schoolhouse rock song, I know nothing about the workings of American Government. Sad, I know.

[Goog]

"Laid on the table?"

If it wasn't included in a schoolhouse rock song, I know nothing about the workings of American Government. Sad, I know.

Basically when a bill is presented that not many people care about, has obvious loopholes, or there are more pressing matters to get to, a senator or representative can move to lay the bill on the table. The senate or house then votes on whether they want to do this or not. If they choose to do so, the bill is taken off of the agenda. The bill can be brought back in for debate via a vote, but in the majority of cases, bills that are laid on the table are never brought back.

And IMO, there are definitely more pressing matters to get to. Maybe these guys are trying to sneak it through or something like that.

[kafine]

Wish it were possible for artists to strike :s

[robertoortiz]

Sine my thread has been hijacked...

Yesterday, with the country in the most dire economic crisis in almost 100 years and a 700 billion dollar bailout or some other form of action desperately needing to be hammered out and put into action, the U.S. Senate passed the Orphan Works Act via a process known as “hotlining”. I guess the economy can just wait.

“Hotlining” is a shady practice that was originally designed for quickly passing noncontroversial bills or simple motions, but has been twisted in recent years to pass significant legislation under the radar, avoiding almost any debate. When “Hotlining” the “Senate Majority Leader and Minority Leader must agree to pass it by unanimous consent, without a roll-call vote. The two leaders then inform Members of this agreement using special hotlines installed in each office and give Members a specified amount of time to object — in some cases as little as 15 minutes. If no objection is registered, the bill is passed”-from Open House Project

The House still needs to pass something and it might just drop their version of the bill and pass the senate version.


http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2008/09/orphan-works-trifecta-libraries-torch.html



http://dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2008/09/27/senate-passes-orphan-works-act/



http://www.tomrichmond.com/blog/?p=2935

[Goog]

there goes my 20 bucks...