Committee member urges careful study of Procodes Act to balance copyright and public access

A committee member told the Judiciary committee in opening remarks that the Procodes Act, introduced by Rep. Issa and Representative Ross, seeks to reconcile two sometimes-competing principles: protecting and incentivizing creators through copyright, and ensuring that public laws are available to the public on a universally accessible and free basis.

"We've got two competing principles in play today, both of them deeply rooted in our constitutional culture," the committee member said, adding that one principle is "the protection and incentivization of creators through copyright" and the other is that "public laws must be available to the public on a universally, accessible and free basis." He quoted the bills sponsors when describing the Procodes Acts purpose and said the measure aims to promote innovation while preserving public access to law.

The lawmaker urged the panel to examine the measure carefully. "It's incumbent upon this committee to study the details here where the answer is going to lie," he said, adding that "the devil's in the details" and that witnesses will help illuminate trade-offs the bill may present. He thanked the witnesses for appearing and said he looked forward to hearing their testimony.

No formal motion or vote was recorded in the provided transcript excerpt; the remarks served as an opening framing of the issue and a call for detailed review of the legislation.