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The United States Copyright Office, and the position of Register of Copyrights, were created by Congress in 1897. The Register directs the Copyright Office as a separate federal department within the Library of Congress, under the general oversight of the Librarian, pursuant to specific statutory authorities set forth in the United States Copyright Act. Earlier in the Nation`s history, from 1870-1896, the Librarian of Congress administered copyright registration (at that time mostly books) directly, and earlier still, from 1790-1896, U.S. district courts were responsible for doing so. Today, the Copyright Office is responsible for administering a complex and dynamic set of laws, which include registration, the recordation of title and licenses, a number of statutory licensing provisions, and other aspects of the 1976 Copyright Act and the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act. By statute, the Register of Copyrights is the principal advisor to Congress on national and international copyright matters, testifying upon request and providing ongoing leadership and impartial expertise on copyright law and policy. Congress relies upon, and directs, the Copyright Office to provide critical law and policy services, including domestic and international policy analysis, legislative support for Congress, litigation support, assistance to courts and executive branch agencies, participation on U.S. delegations to international meetings, and public information and education programs. The past few years have been particularly active, as Copyright Office lawyers assisted Congress with more than twenty copyright review hearings and prepared numerous timely reports, including for example, The Making Available Right in the United States, Copyright and the Music Marketplace, Software-Enabled Consumer Products, and Orphan Works and Mass Digitization. As of early 2017, the Copyright Office has approximately 400 employees, the majority of whom examine and register hundreds of thousands of copyright claims in books, journals, music, movies, sound recordings, software, photographs, and other works of original authorship each year. In fiscal year 2016, the Office processed over 468,000 claims for registration, issued over 414,000 registrations, received 91percent of claims via our online application system, and collected $30 million in fees from registration. The Office also acts as a conduit for the Library, providing certain works of authorship, known as copyright deposits, to the Library for its collections. In fiscal year 2016, the Office forwarded more than 636,000 works, worth a net value of $35.6 million, to the Library. During calendar year 2016, the Office collected over $244 million in royalty payments from compulsory and statutory licenses under sections 111, 119, and 1003. In recent years, the Office has taken steps, through a set of public discussions, to propose ways to modernize the Copyright Office by examining relationships between the law, regulations, registration practices, technology, access to data, and the evolving copyright marketplace. Finally, the Copyright Office works regularly with the Department of Justice, the Department of State, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of Commerce, including the Patent and Trademark Office, and the Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator.
The American Suppressor Association was born out of the idea that all law-abiding citizens should be able to use suppressors to help protect their hearing. When ASA formed in 2011, there were 285,000 legally obtained suppressors in circulation in the 39 states where they were legal to own. A mere 22 of these states allowed their use while hunting. In our minds, that wasn`t good enough. Rather than accept the status quo, we formed our association with a singular mission: to fight for pro-suppressor reform nationwide. For the past ten years, ASA has actively lobbied in 30 states, fought to ease the archaic restrictions on suppressors in D.C., testified in front of dozens of legislative bodies, hosted countless suppressor demonstrations for legislators, policymakers, media, and the public, and funded research proving the efficacy of suppressors. We are the boots on the ground in the fight to legalize and deregulate suppressors and are the front line defense against the anti-suppressor factions that want them banned. At the state level, we set an aggressive agenda, called the No State Left Behind campaign, to pursue legislation in every state that does not currently allow for suppressor ownership or their use while hunting. We work hand in hand with national groups like the NRA and the Congressional Sportsmen`s Foundation, as well as in state groups throughout the country. As a direct result of ASA`s lobbying and educational efforts, Iowa, Minnesota, and Vermont legalized suppressor ownership. Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming all legalized the use of suppressors while hunting. Today, there are over 2,150,000 suppressors in circulation. Law-abiding citizens in 42 states can own suppressors and hunters in 40 states are now allowed to use suppressors to help protect their hearing in the field. While we are very proud of the progress, we won`t stop until suppressors are legal in all 50 states!
The NC Department of Insurance regulates the insurance industry, licensing insurance professionals and others, educating consumers about different types of insurance, handling consumer complaints, and much more. The Department also houses the Office of State Fire Marshal. Any insurance business in this state first must be approved by the Commissioner, and companies and agents must meet rigorous standards before they receive a license to do that business. We also provide other services not directly associated with insurance: • Licensing bail bondsmen • Overseeing motor clubs and collection agencies • Protecting consumers from fraud and illegal behavior with a staff of sworn law enforcement officers in our Investigations Division • Educating North Carolinians about safety issues such as child safety seats, fire protection, natural disaster preparation and other family safety issues • Interpreting the state`s building codes and suggesting new and improved codes to further protect citizens • Obtaining and maintaining insurance coverage for all state-owned buildings, including such items as the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington and the campuses of the state university system • Assisting the elderly and others with Medicare and Medicaid questions through our nationally recognized Seniors` Health Insurance Information Program Overall, we strive to provide high quality service to North Carolinians across the state.
It`s time to remember who we are. We`re Americans: tough and resilient. We choose hope over fear. Science over fiction. Truth over lies. And unity over division. We treat each other with dignity, we leave nobody behind, and we give hate no safe harbor. We are the United States of America. And together, there is not a single thing we cannot do.
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development is charged with continually improving the Hoosier workforce by assisting companies to create new jobs and improve employee skills. The agency offers a variety of training and educational grants, partners with Indiana`s 35 WorkOne Centers and 50 WorkOne Express Centers, administers the unemployment insurance system, provides labor market information, assists employers with preparing workers for layoffs and closures and operates a statewide job placement service.