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S 1257 106th Congress Senate

Digital Theft Deterrence and Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999

Official title: A bill to amend statutory damages provisions of title 17, United States Code.

Introduced: June 22, 1999 See on congress.gov
Commerce Administrative procedureArts, Culture, ReligionCopyright infringementCrime and Law Enforcement
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
DamagesEvidence (Law)Government Operations and PoliticsIntellectual propertyLawMusicPricesRetail tradeScience, Technology, CommunicationsSentencing guidelinesSound recording and reproducingTrademarksU.S. Sentencing CommissionVideo tape recording
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This bill died when the 106th Congress ended
It never became law before the 106th Congress (1999–2000) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 22 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 22, 1999
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Nov 19, 1999
Senate concurred in the House amendment with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S14891-14892)
Nov 19, 1999
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate concurred in the House amendment with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S14891-14892)
Aug 3, 1999
Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
Aug 2, 1999
A similar measure H.R. 1761 was laid on the table without objection.
Aug 2, 1999
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Aug 2, 1999
On passage Passed without objection.
Aug 2, 1999
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.
Aug 2, 1999
The House struck all after the enacting clause and inserted in lieu thereof the provisions of a similar measure H.R. 1761. Agreed to without objection.
Aug 2, 1999
Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H6799)
Aug 2, 1999
Mr. Coble asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
Jul 12, 1999
Held at the desk.
Jul 12, 1999
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Jul 12, 1999
Received in the House.
Jul 1, 1999
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8190-8191)
Jul 1, 1999
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S8190-8191)
Jul 1, 1999
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 193.
Jul 1, 1999
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Hatch without amendment. Without written report.
Jul 1, 1999
Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Jun 22, 1999
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Jun 22, 1999
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7452-7455)
Jun 22, 1999
Introduced in Senate
 Amendments to this bill 1

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

1 agreed to

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 2,790 – To provide for the promulgation of emergency guidelines by the United States Sentencing Commission relating t… Agreed to Nov 19, 1999
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 Latest action November 22, 1999

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Digital Theft Deterrence and Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends Federal copyright law to increase the statutory damages for copyright infringement which a copyright owner may elect, before final judgment is rendered, instead of actual damages and profits. Increases the limits on statutory damages per work: (1) from a minimum of $500 to $750; and (2) from a maximum of $20,000 to $30,000.

Increases from $100,000 to $150,000 the maximum amount to which a court may increase the award of statutory damages per work where the copyright owner sustains the burden of proving, and the court finds, that infringement was committed willfully.

Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission by a specified deadline to promulgate emergency guideline amendments to implement the requirements of the No Electronic Theft (NET) Act for sentences sufficiently stringent to deter criminal infringement of a copyright or trademark, in accordance with certain procedures set forth in the Sentencing Act of 1987, as though the authority under that Act had not expired.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 1761 Procedurally related Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999
 Bill text 5 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Schumer, Charles E.
New York · Jun 22, 1999
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1257: Digital Theft Deterrence and Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-1257/
MLA
"S. 1257: Digital Theft Deterrence and Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-1257/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1257, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-1257/.
Markdown link
[S. 1257: Digital Theft Deterrence and Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-1257/)
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