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Copyright Matters. The proposed Copyright Reform Act of 1993 (HR 847, and S 373) incorporates several procedural changes. Notably, it makes the Register of Copyright a Presidential appointment rather than an appointee of the Librarian of Congress. While this may seem inconsequential, it is simply part of a process that would split the Copyright Office away from the Library of Congress. Among the other proposed changes are elimination of the need to apply for registration before filing a copyright infringement claim, and the abolishment of the preregistration requirement for statutory damages. Among other effects, it would remove from depository status a very high proportion of the books, films, and recordings currently received by the Library of Congress. This would mean that the library would have to purchase these materials at a cost of several million dollars each year, and it would also reduce the materials available for foreign exchange, often the only means of acquiring foreign materials.