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January 30, 2007

Schiff Commends Copyright Industries for Contributions to the American Economy

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) commended a report by the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), which highlights the copyright industries’ significant contributions to the U.S. economy.   

“This report is welcome news and shows how the copyright industries are vibrant, hard working, and successful,” said Schiff.  “As a Representative of so many of these industries and their employees, I know firsthand the importance they play in providing quality jobs for Americans.  This report demonstrates that the copyright industries and the intellectual property they produce are essential to the future of the American economy.”

Major Findings of the IIPA’s Report on Copyright Industries in the U.S. Economy:

  • The U.S. “core” copyright industries accounted for an estimated $819.06 billion or 6.56% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005, up from 6.48% of the U.S. GDP ($760.49 billion) in 2004.
  • The U.S. “total” copyright industries accounted for an estimated $1.38 trillion or 11.12 % of GDP in 2005, up from 11.09% of the U.S. GDP ($1.3 trillion) in 2004.
  • The “core” copyright industries were responsible for 12.96% of the growth achieved in 2005 for the U.S. economy as a whole.
  • The “core” copyright industries employed 5.38 million workers in 2005 (4.03% of U.S. workers), up from 5.34 million workers in 2004 (4.07%).
  • The “total” copyright industries employed 11.3 million workers in 2005 (8.49%), up from 11.2 million workers in 2004 (8.53%).
  • In 2005, estimated foreign sales and exports of the core copyright industries increased to at least $110.8 billion, leading other major industry sectors.

Rep. Schiff’s district includes film and television studios for companies including Warner Brothers, DreamWorks, NBC, ABC, Nickelodeon and Disney, as well as numerous pre-production, post production and music industry employees.

Rep. Schiff is a member of the Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property in the House Judiciary Committee. He is also a co-chair of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, a bipartisan group of 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.