U.S.A. Copyright Law

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Preface

This volume contains the text of title 17 of the *United States Code*, including all amendments enacted through the end of the second session of the 106th Congress in 2000. It includes the Copyright Act of 1976 and all subsequent amendments to copyright law; the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984, as amended; and the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act, as amended. The Copyright Office is responsible for registering claims under all three.

The United States copyright law is contained in chapters 1 through 8 and 10 through 12 of title 17 of the *United States Code.* The Copyright Act of 1976, which provides the basic framework for the current copyright law, was enacted on October 19, 1976 as Pub. L. No. 94-553, 90 Stat. 2541. Listed below in chronological order of their enactment are subsequent amendments to copyright law.

Chapters