Senate Judiciary Backs Online Piracy Bill
November 18, 2010
| 11:05 AM
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation Thursday aimed at cracking down on online piracy and counterfeiting with a particular emphasis on rogue foreign websites.
Even though it was approved on a 19-0 vote, the Combatting Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act is unlikely to pass the Senate during the lameduck session. While saying she was "pleased to support" the bill, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., noted the bill would need some more work as it moves forward. She cited concerns raised by critics of the bill with a provision that could lead to the revocation of a domain name for websites found to be involved in piracy or counterfeiting.
The bill's opponents are "particularly concerned about the domain name remedy," Feinstein said. She said the committee should be "open minded to the alternatives on this one point."
Judiciary ranking member Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said that Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who was not at the markup, also indicated the bill would need more work and has requested a hearing on the measure.
The committee approved a substitute amendment by voice vote to the bill that would address some of the concerns with the bill including adding language requiring that a court must find the "rogue website is dedicated to infringing activity before any action is required," Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the bill's sponsor, said in a statement.
"It will take a strong, sustained effort to stop Internet thieves and profiteers," Motion Picture Association of America President Bob Pisano said in a statement. "We believe that Congress and the [Obama] administration can make a significant contribution to that effort by turning the ... bill into law and giving law enforcement significantly enhanced tools for addressing a threat that deprives American innovators of the fruits of their labors and menaces our nation's economic health."
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