My Letter to Congress: H.R.3261 Stop Online Piracy Act

H.R. 3261, by all its names: Stop Online Piracy Act, The Protect IP Act, the Internet Blacklist Bill, etc., is a form of censorship that you should not approve. Please VOTE AGAINST this bill, as it is a very harmful bill that will give the entertainment industry too much power over the freedom of speech we enjoy. The wording of this bill indicates that no one involved in writing it knows anything about the far-reaching effects of such legislation.

I am an American. I believe in Freedom of Speech. I don't believe in giving anyone the right to censor the internet, and, as I said, I respectfully request that you kill this bill.

Sincerely,
Barbara Bailey

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Dear Barbara:

Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA). I appreciate hearing from you.

Let me begin by saying I strongly support safeguarding the intellectual property of all Americans. Intellectual property rights are vital to our economy. Every day that intellectual property is insufficiently safeguarded, American businesses stand to lose billions of dollars that result in the loss of thousands of jobs due to copyright infringement and the sale of counterfeit goods. As you may know, I supported the America Invents Act (P.L. 112-29), which passed the Senate on September 8, 2011. This legislation would streamline the patent application process, establish new rules to protect inventors and eliminate unworthy patents, and create consistency for all applicants and patent owners in the application and litigation processes. It provides for the first significant changes to the nation?s patent system in nearly 60 years, and in the process creates jobs and boosts the economy without adding a dime to the deficit. The America Invents Act was signed into law by President Obama on September 16, 2011.

The internet has revolutionized the way we communicate, has sped the proliferation of ideas and products and grown into an integral marketplace. Unfortunately there is a disturbingly large number of criminals who take advantage of this forum by stealing and illegally distributing intellectual property. Many of these individuals do not even live in the country. I support a commonsense solution to this threat to American innovation.

As you may know, Representative Lamar Smith of Texas introduced SOPA before the House of Representatives on October 26, 2011. This legislation would authorize the Attorney General to seek legal action such as temporary restraining orders or injunctions to prevent illegal distribution of intellectual property. However no monetary damages are authorized in the bill. The bill has not been considered by the full House at this juncture. And SOPA has not been introduced in the United States Senate.

You may be interested to know that a bill addressing similar piracy concerns has been introduced in the Senate. The PROTECT IP Act (S.968) was introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont. The legislation focuses on criminally-operated foreign websites. This bill received unanimous support from the Senate Judiciary Committee. It now awaits consideration by the full Senate. Rest assured I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind should either bill be debated on the Senate floor.

I value the input of fellow Coloradans in considering the wide variety of important issues and legislative initiatives that come before the Senate. I hope you will continue to inform me of your thoughts and concerns.

For more information about my priorities as a U.S. Senator, I invite you to visit my website at http://bennet.senate.gov/. Again, thank you for contacting me.


Sincerely,

Michael Bennet
United States Senator

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