Local Lawmaker Steers Piracy Deterrence Bill on House Floor Today
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) today directed the passage of the Piracy Deterrence and Education Act (H.R. 4077) through the House of Representatives, managing the bill on the House Floor for the Democratic Caucus. The bill creates federal penalties for videotaping a movie in a theater without permission and expands the laws that criminalize improper distribution of copyrighted material. H.R. 4077 unanimously passed the House today.
“Intellectual property theft has become a rampant and serious threat to the livelihoods of all copyright creators,” Congressman Schiff said. “Copyright theft injures copyright creators of all types, whether they are songwriters, photojournalists, graphic designers, software engineers or musicians.”
H.R. 4077 also creates a voluntary warning program through the Justice Department to make Internet users aware that they may be breaking copyright law and mandates training for certain Justice Department agents to investigate intellectual property crimes. In addition, the bill creates a public education program to promote the value of copyrighted material.
Congressman Schiff co-sponsored the two earlier-drafted bills from which much of H.R. 4077 was derived – the Piracy Deterrence and Education Act of 2003 (H.R. 2517) and the Author, Consumer, and Computer Owner Protection and Security (ACCOPS) Act of 2003 (H.R. 2752).
Congressman Schiff is a Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, a bipartisan group of 65 leading House and Senate lawmakers dedicated to working with America’s international trade partners to secure the enactment of strong copyright laws and the vigilant enforcement of those laws. Congressman Schiff is also a member of both the House Judiciary and International Relations committees. He represents California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.