Darrell Issa to Chair House Subcommittee Overseeing Copyright & Internet

Issa, widely expected to receive the appointment, has both supported and opposed legislation proposed by the music industry. He was a co-sponsor of the Performance Rights Act, legislation introduced in 2009 that would have required terrestrial broadcasters to pay royalties for the performance of sound recordings. But he was a vocal critic of the proposed anti-piracy legislation -- Stop Online Piracy Act in the House and the Protect Intellectual Property Act in the Senate -- that was backed by numerous entertainment trade groups.

The SOPA and PIPA controversy turned Issa into something of champion of the Internet. In 2012, Issa drafted a Digital Bill of Rights that aimed to provide Americans with a free and open Internet. His desire for Internet freedom isn't limitless, however. More recently, Issa praised Google's effort to change its search algorithms to help fight piracy, calling it a "milestone" of cooperation between a technology company and entertainment companies.

Before going into politics, Issa founded Directed Electronics, the company behind the Viper automobile anti-theft device. As such, Issa's business experience, understanding of technology and appreciation for intellectual property -- he holds 37 patents -- are seen as assets. "As a patent holder himself, Mr. Issa understands the real-world importance of intellectual property," the Recording Academy's Daryl Friedman said in a statement. The Consumer Electronics Association, where Issa twice served as chairman, said "Issa may not always be in agreement with our positions, but he is ethical, thorough and thoughtful."