Schiff Introduces Measure to Hold Nations Accountable for Copyright Piracy
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) today introduced legislation that calls for global action against persistent intellectual property piracy. The measure urges the United States to halt the efforts of Russia to join the World Trade Organization if it does not take concrete steps to crack down on piracy of copyrighted materials. The concurrent resolution also holds China, Mexico, Canada, India and Malaysia responsible for the widespread problem of intellectual property theft. These six countries were placed on a watch list by the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus for their lax enforcement of these crimes.
“The movie and recording industries, along with software, science and engineering businesses, provide needed, well-paying jobs for hard-working Americans,” Schiff said. “The federal government should not allow their workproduct to be stolen and for American companies to be put at an economic disadvantage. Each year we lose billions of dollars worth of American workproduct and invention. Congress should speak directly to the issue of copyright piracy and hold countries responsible if they enable this theft to take place.”
Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) is joining Schiff in introducing the resolution in the House of Representatives; Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) are introducing a similar measure in the Senate.
Congressman Schiff is a Co-Chair of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, co-founded the Democratic Study Group on National Security, and is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House International Relations Committee. He is also a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles. Schiff is proud to represent 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.
-30-