Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about S. 968, the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act (PROTECT-IP) Act of 2011. I appreciate hearing from you on this important matter.
The basic public policy rationale for intellectual property (IP) laws is that they facilitate and encourage the pursuit of innovation and the disclosure of knowledge into the public domain by granting authors, inventors, and creators exclusive rights for a limited period. Although the world's patent laws have undergone considerable modernization and harmonization in recent years, these laws are now being applied to increasingly complex and diverse array of scenarios.
As you are aware, S. 968 would target websites aimed at enabling copyright and trademark infringement by granting the U.S. Justice Department the authority to obtain civil court orders against domain names registered in the United States. In addition, it authorizes private IP owners to take action against payment processors and advertisers and allows firms to initiate proceedings against sites selling illegitimate pharmaceuticals online. This measure is currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee. While I am not a member of the Senate, you may be assured that I will keep your concerns close in mind should this legislation come to the House for consideration.
In the meantime, please feel free to get in touch with me regarding this or any matter of concern. Thank you again for contacting me on this issue – and if you would like to learn more about my work in Washington and in Louisville, please visit my website at www.yarmuth.house.gov where you will find the latest news, my weekly schedule, video from hearings, and information about constituent services. You can also sign up for my e-newsletter to receive periodic updates on important issues and services for your family.
Sincerely,
John Yarmuth
US Member of Congress
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