Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act of 2005
Latest action. Referred to the subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to prohibit: (1) introduction into commerce of prerecorded digital music disc products that are mislabeled, or falsely, or deceptively advertised or invoiced; and (2) removal or mutilation of any label required by either this Act or any rules or regulations prescribed by the Federal Trade Commission before the time a prerecorded digital music disc product is sold and delivered to the ultimate consumer. States that such transactions constitute either an unfair method of competition, or an unfair and deceptive act or practice in commerce. Authorizes the Commission to develop rules and regulations governing such transactions. Amends Federal copyright law to exempt from its prohibitions against circumvention of copyright protection systems any persons acting solely in furtherance of scientific research into technological measures. Declares it is not a violation of copyright law, but fair use, to: (1) circumvent a technological measure in order to obtain access to a work for purposes of making noninfringing use of the work; or (2) manufacture or distribute a hardware or software product capable of substantial noninfringing uses except in instances of direct infringement.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on March 9, 2005. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on March 22, 2005: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 109th Congress (2005-06), 482 of the 10,701 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.5 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
RICK BOUCHER (D-VA) introduced it on March 9, 2005, and 13 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 9 Democrats, 4 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 9, 2005, 7902 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 7889 days ago, on March 22, 2005.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 109th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2007 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers