Why it Matters

The U.S. Copyright Office sits at the center of some of the most contested policy terrain in Washington — artificial intelligence, content licensing, creator rights, and the economics of the internet. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing scheduled for next week puts the office itself under the microscope, raising questions about whether its leadership, structure, and authorities are adequate for the challenges ahead.

The Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, part of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will convene the oversight hearing on Tuesday, May 12. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) chairs the subcommittee, with Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) serving as ranking member.

The Copyright Office, a legislative branch agency housed within the Library of Congress, administers copyright registration, advises Congress on intellectual property law, and plays a growing role in shaping policy around AI and digital content. Its decisions ripple across the entertainment, publishing, software, and tech industries — and the industries that lobby those sectors have been active on Capitol Hill.

Lobbying

Fox Corp. has reported lobbying on "copyright protection, content carriage agreements, and trademarks" in each of the past four quarters, spending $1.18 million in the first quarter of 2026 alone and a combined $4.09 million across 2025 and into 2026. The company's filings consistently flag copyright and content carriage as priority issues alongside retransmission consent and streaming policy.

The National Football League has also reported lobbying on "broadcast policies, IP protection, and federal ticketing reforms" across multiple recent quarters, spending $420,000 in the first quarter of 2026. The National Collegiate Athletic Association reported lobbying on "online piracy of sporting events" and name, image, and likeness issues in its most recent filing, spending $310,000 in the first quarter of 2026.

The subcommittee's membership includes senators with established records on intellectual property: Tillis has been a consistent advocate for copyright modernization, and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has long championed creator rights legislation. Other members include Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)

Oversight hearings of this kind often serve as a precursor to legislative action, giving members a public forum to establish a record before drafting or advancing bills.

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