H.R. 6198 is a bill that proposes an amendment to the existing copyright law. It seeks to extend the requirement that nondramatic literary works in English, which are imported, must be manufactured in North America. This requirement would be extended until July 1, 1986.
Supporters of H.R. 6198 argue that the extension of the manufacturing clause will help protect the North American publishing industry by ensuring that a portion of the book production process remains within the continent. This is seen as a way to support local jobs and maintain quality control over published materials.
Critics of the bill suggest that extending the manufacturing clause may limit the diversity of literary works available in the U.S. market. They argue that it could potentially lead to higher costs for publishers and consumers, as the restriction on manufacturing locations might reduce competitive pricing options.
Upon analysis, there appears to be a low risk of conflict of interest between the sponsor's donors and the bill's subject matter. The bill, H.R. 6198, is related to the manufacturing clause of the copyright law, while the top donor industries of the sponsor, Robert Kastenmeier, are Retired, Securities & Investment, and Government, with no direct overlaps detected. However, it's worth noting that there is significant lobbying activity in the bill's policy area, with the Recording Industry Association of America contributing the largest disclosed amount of $2,230,369. While this does not directly tie to the sponsor's donors, it does indicate a high level of interest from the recording industry in this legislation. The lack of disclosed amounts from some lobbyists also limits the completeness of the financial picture.
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA | RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA | $2,230,369 |
| AE INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS, LP | AE INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS, LP | $270,000 |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS | AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS | $219,480 |
| MEAT INSTITUTE (FKA NORTH AMERICAN MEAT INSTITUTE) | MEAT INSTITUTE (FKA NORTH AMERICAN MEAT INSTITUTE) | $130,000 |
| I AM ALS | I AM ALS | $30,000 |
| AMERICAN SECURITY FUND | ALLEGIANCE STRATEGIES, LLC | $30,000 |
| AMERICAN UNITY FUND, INC. | ALLEGIANCE STRATEGIES, LLC | $30,000 |
| SANTO DOMINGO PUEBLO | TELEGRAPH AVENUE ADVISORS | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HUMAN GENETICS | LEWIS-BURKE ASSOCIATES, LLC | $10,000 |
| SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT MARKET ASSOCIATION | TELEGRAPH AVENUE ADVISORS | $10,000 |
| CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS | TELEGRAPH AVENUE ADVISORS | $10,000 |
| JOHN WILEY & SONS | ACCESS PARTNERSHIP CORP | undisclosed |
| RUTGERS - THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY | LEWIS-BURKE ASSOCIATES, LLC | undisclosed |
| MATRA GRUPA D.O.O. | TELEGRAPH AVENUE ADVISORS | undisclosed |
| FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION | ICE MILLER STRATEGIES LLC | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Top industries funding Robert Kastenmeier, ranked by total contributions.
Source: OpenSecrets.org (Center for Responsive Politics)