Levin Email Response to Questions on PIPA

     Thank you for contacting me about the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property (PROTECT IP) Act of 2011 (S.968).  I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me. 

     Introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the PROTECT IP Act aims to safeguard intellectual property on the Internet from foreign websites dedicated to illegal infringing activities.  Intellectual property rights (IPRs) are legal rights granted by governments to encourage and reward innovation.  These rights ensure that inventors reap the benefits of their work.  Through IPRs, governments grant a temporary, legal monopoly to innovators by giving them the right to control the use of their creations by others.  IPRs also allow inventors to trade or license their work to others in return for fees and/or royalty payments.

     The PROTECT IP Act would authorize the Attorney General or the owner of an IPR harmed by an Internet site dedicated to infringement activities (ISDIA) to take a number of steps to act against the operator or owner of an ISDIA site.  U.S. industries that rely on the protection of IPRs contribute significantly to U.S. economic growth, employment, and international trade.  Counterfeiting and online piracy in other countries may result in revenue losses in the billions of dollars for American firms, as well as the loss of American jobs.  Additionally, health and public safety advocates are troubled by the potential consequences of counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs and other products. 

     Concerns have been raised that the PROTECT IP Act would stifle innovation and openness on the Internet and would restrict Americans’ free speech.  Opponents of the bill also have claimed that it would place an unfair and unworkable regulatory burden on Internet companies and would weaken Internet security.

     I am concerned about the current version of the bill.  I have been meeting with people on all sides of the issue and hearing from many constituents.  After scheduling a vote on to the PROTECT IP Act, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced on January 20^th that Senate consideration of the bill would be postponed, citing legitimate concerns that had been raised about the bill.  I think this was the right course of action given the large number of issues that have been raised.  Senator Reid encouraged Senator Leahy to work with the various stakeholders to resolve their concerns with the PROTECT IP Act.  I will review the revised version carefully when it is available.

     Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,

Carl Levin