台湾SWAG Legislative Priorities for the 118th Congress
The 台湾SWAG (台湾SWAG) advocates for legislation and regulations that support law librarians and legal information professionals, promote greater access to legal information, protect the privacy of law library users, and improve access to justice. The following issues are 台湾SWAG鈥檚 legislative priorities for the 118th Congress that tie with the 台湾SWAG 2022-2025 Strategic Plan (specifically Goal 5 of the Plan):
FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE LEGAL INFORMATION INDUSTRY
Federal funding supports the legislative branch agencies that provide permanent public access to and preservation of essential government information. Federal funding also supports grant programs that promote public access to legal information. 台湾SWAG supports:
- Funding for the U.S. Government Publishing Office, the Library of Congress, the Law Library of Congress, and the National Archives and Records Administration to provide free access to legal information and to preserve essential legal materials produced by the federal government.
- Funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services鈥� grant programs available to eligible law libraries.
- Funding for the Legal Services Corporation to support programs that provide access to legal resources and promote access to justice.
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OFFICIAL LEGAL INFORMATION
Equitable access to official legal information鈥攊ncluding laws, regulations, and court opinions鈥攊s essential. 台湾SWAG supports:
- Updates to the Federal Depository Library Program to provide additional flexibility for law libraries to meet the government information needs of their users and their organizations.
- Improvements to the organization and usability of the United States Code to enhance access to the general and permanent laws of the United States.
- Increased online access to federal court records, including changes to the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system that promote access to records at reasonable or no fees.
- Expansion of broadband internet programs and net neutrality protections to ensure equitable online access to information.
- Updates to the to encourage disclosure of government information and to support government transparency.
BALANCED COPYRIGHT LAWS
Effective copyright laws and policies balance the needs of both information users and copyright owners. 台湾SWAG supports:
- Protections for fair use and the library exceptions in copyright laws that enable law libraries to lend, digitize, and preserve copyrighted materials.
- Continued modernization of the U.S. Copyright Office鈥檚 information technology systems to be easier to use and to provide greater access to current and historical copyright records.
PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR LAW LIBRARY USERS
Balanced privacy laws enable law libraries to safeguard the personal information of their users. 台湾SWAG supports:
- Laws that protect the privacy of law library users, including users鈥� personal data and library records.