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H.R. 4279, The Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2007
- This item is from the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and is no longer current. Comments, voting, and wiki editing have been disabled, and the cost/savings estimate has been frozen.
Version saved on January 11, 2008, 01:33:58, by webmaster:
H.R. 4279 would enhance remedies for violations of intellectual property laws.
Detailed Summary
Creates a new Intellectual Property Enforcement Division within the department of Justice. Increases fines for copyright infringment. Permits siezure of computers suspected to be involved in copyright infringment. Creates new White House Intellectual Property Enforcement Representative ("WHIPER").
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 12/13/2007: House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Points in Favor
Removes a loop hole that minimizes copyright penalties for infringing compilations.
Creates WHIPER, which could reduce international piracy of U.S. copyrights.
Points Against
Increases already stiff domestic penalties, without providing any real mechanism for copyright owners to recover lost value.
Provides no remedies to owners of unregistered copyrights.
Strongly favors large content owners over small content owners.
Cost per :
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Visitor Comments
Elisabeth
December 7, 2007, 8:06am (report abuse)I like this bill. I hope it is successful.
Don Marti
December 7, 2007, 5:41pm (report abuse)This bill would fund more government bureaucrats at a time of record deficits. At least make the businesses that would benefit from this bill pay for it, by funding it through fees on copyright registration and patent and trademark applications.
Bob
February 2, 2008, 11:03am (report abuse)This is a much needed bill. By the way, there are already copyright fees in place.
john
May 7, 2008, 12:25am (report abuse)another handout to antiquated big media
cathy
May 8, 2008, 12:46pm (report abuse)"antiquated big media"? This is one of the biggest industries the US has to offer to the world. We need to protect our IP. Take this away and huge industries will fall taking all of it's workers down as well. A huge blow to the US economy.
Richard
May 9, 2008, 9:16am (report abuse)Yeah, that drug Czar-thing has worked out so well, this should be equally as effective. More laws, higher expense, people prosecuted for exercising their Fair Use rights...how about letting the free market work and let the IP-producers figure it out?!? I don't want to subsidize their failed marketing model. The unintended consequences from this staggeringly ill-conceived bill will be massive.
alan
May 9, 2008, 12:07pm (report abuse)This is not the appropriate place for the American government to be. Just as the war on drugs is such a benefit to us, I'm sure this will prove to be even more of a nightmare.
People need to educate themselves about copyright, and the ideas behind why it benefits society, then look at how its been perverted into a one-sided benefit, with society suffering.
If you want this, I want copyright lengths to become reasonable again. how about say 10 years?
Josh
May 21, 2008, 2:22am (report abuse)What's wrong you people? Why are you supporting this bill? Do you want your houses being taken away once this bill passes even if you don't have computer or any device that infringes copyright? You all should ashamed of yourselves. And I have to agree with Alan, this bill will be more than nightmare, It will be our greatest tribulation as it never was today. We must stand up and fight for fair use and defend our dwelling. Will the RIAA own your house? Yes, it's a facility whether or not you own famiclones, or pirated famicarts.
Edtropolis
May 24, 2008, 4:50pm (report abuse)I have to agree with Josh. This bill is not going to help the economy by letting the RIAA and MPAA taking people's houses and other personal property away, and sending civilians off to FEMA labor camps just because of a hefty fine of lets say $130 million per track. Now Let's say someone downloaded 40 tracks illegally multiply by a $130,000,000 fine. Total damage= $5.2 billion. Contact your state senator to oppose their version of this bill.
Andrew
June 11, 2008, 6:40pm (report abuse)If you want people to invent or create you have to let them reap the rewards. It is more important to have society move foward than to protect people who feel entitled to steal.
Jeremy
June 11, 2008, 7:38pm (report abuse)Ideas cannot be owned in the same way cars can be, thus they cannot be stolen in the same way cars can be. Thus we should not have laws that punish people for stealing ideas in the same way people steal cars. Next they are going to want to collect from everyone who overhears songs without paying and the absurdity will increase. This is what happens when industry funds laws. This is why I will never be a democrat. This is not only a reason not to vote for democrats, this is a reason for Revolution. Capital R.
Mike
June 13, 2008, 2:37pm (report abuse)I agree that this bill is ridiculous.
But don't think it's just democrats voting for this - check the voting record.. Heck, check the bill's cosponsors!
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?tab=main&bill=h110-4279
Everybody needs to contact their senators on this one...
Rock
June 13, 2008, 4:05pm (report abuse)Less Government not more! Enforce current laws for pete's sake!
Tom
June 16, 2008, 8:14am (report abuse)This bill MUST be stopped!
This is yet another example of over-legislating by Congress.
I thought a couple years ago, that putting in new Democratic reps would solve the Washington problem, but same-old same-old. The Dems are no better than the GOP.
Write your Senators!!!
Josh Taylor
July 23, 2008, 10:59pm (report abuse)I looked at the Senate version of this bill. We're all going to lose our homes. Send the senate version to Alex Jones.
Bill
July 30, 2008, 2:25pm (report abuse)Congress needs to STOP pandering to big media. Big media is currently attempting to set precedents in court which allow them to punish people without providing any proof that they are guilty. Research has already discovered that 20% of the people they target are actually innocent and yet big media takes no responsibility for the damage caused by their acts. In combination with the currently over-powered IP laws, this new bill will allow them to take your house whether you are guilty or not without providing a shred of evidence that you did anything wrong.
Who in their right mind would support that situation? Are people so stupid they don't see the extreme abuse of power that is already happening even without this new legislation?
I can't wait for the day that the RIAA takes the houses of some of these moronic supporters because their 10 year old downloaded a High-School Musical song one afternoon from a friend.
Steve
October 12, 2008, 8:21pm (report abuse)What kinds of organizations, etc. will this bill fund to help crack down on copyright infringers?
Matt
October 14, 2008, 6:23pm (report abuse)This is bullsh*t!
Who cares about all that copyright crap, i hope this never happens.