Lofgren 'Very Nervous' About IP Pact
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., has become increasingly concerned about the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, which has been in the works, largely behind closed doors, for more than a year. Amid fears from watchdog groups who argued the process between the U.S. government and a handful of key trading partners was too secretive, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in April released a six-page summary of ACTA talks. Lofgren told a crowd of high-tech executives Wednesday the outline may not be sufficient in quelling fears about requirements that could be imposed on Internet service providers and others. She said the document "makes me very nervous," particularly as European proposals have surfaced to regulate ISPs as part of efforts to crack down on copyright infringement.
In her remarks to the Computer and Communications Industry Association, Lofgren also spoke about the congressional movement to overhaul the U.S. patent system. Silicon Valley executives told her in recent meetings that a compromise bill, which last month passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, could be worse than no bill at all due to what they believe is watered down damages language. "Last year we had a strong bill," Lofgren said of the version that passed the House. The Senate measure stalled last spring after Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and then-ranking member Arlen Specter could not see eye to eye on damages text. "Now we have a bill that opponents of patent reform are rallying around," she said of Leahy's legislation as amended.
Lofgren also said the so-called "orphan works" issue is still on her radar. Legislation aimed at reworking a portion of U.S. copyright law that deals with musical tracks, writings, images, videos or other content whose owners cannot be easily gained some traction in the 110th Congress but did not make it to the House floor. Later in her speech, Lofgren said a bill she sponsored to provide for a five year moratorium on any new discriminatory wireless tax or fees should collect "a lot of cosponsors on both sides of the aisle." "I think we have an opportunity to move that," she said.
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