1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose the Pro Codes Act (S.4145 / H.R.4072), legislation that would grant private organizations copyright control over safety standards after they have been incorporated into law. The law belongs to the public. For over two decades, courts including the United States Supreme Court have consistently affirmed this principle. Justices Thomas, Roberts, and Ginsburg have each written clearly that laws and regulations cannot be copyrighted. The Pro Codes Act would override these rulings by legislative shortcut, handing monopoly control of public safety regulations to private publishing companies. These are not abstract documents. Building codes, fire safety standards, electrical regulations — these are the laws that govern our homes, workplaces, and communities. Every citizen, tradesperson, architect, engineer, and homeowner has a right to read and understand the laws they are required to follow, without paying a private company for access. The organizations behind this bill have spent millions in lobbying efforts after failing in six separate lawsuits. Congress should not be the vehicle through which they circumvent a legal system that has repeatedly ruled against them. I am joined in this concern by a broad coalition of public interest organizations, including the American Library Association, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Wikimedia Foundation, the American Foundation for the Blind, and many others. Please stand with the public, not with the publishers. Vote no on the Pro Codes Act.