The Copyright Office website dedicated to orphan works and Copyright Office activities related to orphan works can be found at www.copyright.gov/orphan.

The U.S. Copyright Office has been at the center of orphan works activity in the United States, hosting public roundtables on orphan works, briefing Congress on various proposals and options, and working with interested parties on their support and/or concerns. Beginning in 2005 the Copyright Office conducted a year long study of orphan works. 721 initial public comments and 146 reply comments were formally submitted as part of this process. Most commenters wrote in support of legislation to address orphan works, although there were differing opinions about how to draft such legislation. Their 127 page final report (pdf) was issued on January 30, 2006 with legislative recommendations on page 127 of the report.

Jule Sigal, the former Policy and Planning Advisor to the Register of Copyrights, testified before Congress twice on orphan works. He first testified on March 8, 2006 in the House Judiciary Committee, followed by testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 6, 2006.

Marybeth Peters, the Register of Copyrights, testified once before the House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on March 13, 2008.