Washington, DC (September 11, 2019): The Graphic Artists Guild thanks the House Judiciary Committee for passing HR 2426, The CASE Act Amendment in Nature of a Substitute, out of committee by voice vote with no dissensions. The small copyright claims tribunal proposed by The CASE Act is a voluntary, affordable, expedited option that is balanced and fair to both copyright holders and copyright users.

As an association representing the interests of graphic artists – illustrators, graphic and communication designers, animators, cartoon and comic book artists, web designers, and other graphic arts professionals – we can attest to the toll that rampant copyright infringement is taking on individual creators. These creators see their work repeatedly infringed by those who use their works without permission or compensation, creating a loss of licensing income that can be devastating to graphic artists and the small businesses they represent.

Currently, the only recourse of action small copyright holders such as graphic artists have is to take an infringer to federal court in a procedure that is complex, time-consuming, and often too expensive to initiate. Furthermore, the legal costs of such an action often dwarf the potential recovery, making it difficult for them to find legal counsel. Knowing that creators and small copyright holders have limited options, infringers act with impunity; over 60% of creators surveyed reported that their attempts to communicate with a copyright infringer were simply ignored. The result is that for individual creators, copyright is often a right without a remedy.

The CASE Act provides an alternative for small copyright cases that is long overdue for individual creators and small copyright holders. We thank the individuals who have been the moving force behind the Bill, and their supporters: Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Doug Collins (R-GA) for their leadership in introducing The CASE Act; Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Martha Roby (R-AL), Judy Chu (D-CA), Ben Cline (R-VA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) for being the original co-sponsors of the Bill; and to the many members of the House Judiciary Committee and other Representatives who have co-sponsored and supported the Bill.

Earlier this summer, S 1273, the Senate version of The CASE Act, was passed the Senate Judiciary Committee without a single vote in opposition. We look forward to working with members of both the House and the Senate, as well as the many creators’ associations and stakeholders who support the Bill, in seeing The CASE Act successfully passed.

For more information, contact Rebecca Blake, Advocacy Liaison, advocacy@graphicartistsguild.org.

Graphic Artists Guild, Inc. has advocated on behalf of graphic designers, illustrators, animators, cartoonists, comic artists, web designers, and production artists for over fifty years. The Guild educates graphic artists on best practices through webinars, Guild e-news, resource articles, and meetups. The Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines has raised industry standards and provides graphic artists and their clients guidance on best practices and pricing standards.