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The result may have astonished those who sought to cram legislation through congress that was to some degree bought and paid for by massive commercial interests through political funding activities and lobbyists. After a show of force on Wednesday January 18th, in which the most powerful voices on the Internet either went dark ( WikiPedia ), or showed support by other means, Capitol Hill seemed, at first, a bit perplexed, but resolved to pass largely one-sided versions of what many believe to be essential legislation.

Washington

Harry Reid Postpones PIPA Bill Vote

In a swirl of activity that began with committee clearance of anti-piracy bills meant to rein-in flagrant copyright infringement for copyrighted materials unlawfully posted to the Internet,  on Monday came to a screeching stop on Friday. What happened during the intervening three days was what some saw as the first flexing of muscle by Internet wealth, infrastructure and world-wide content purveyors and publishers.

The result may have astonished those who sought to cram legislation through congress that was to some degree bought and paid for by massive commercial interests through political funding activities and lobbyists. After a show of force on Wednesday January 18th, in which the most powerful voices on the Internet either went dark ( WikiPedia ), or showed support by other means, Capitol Hill seemed, at first, a bit perplexed, but resolved to pass largely one-sided versions of what many believe to be essential legislation.

The state of perplexity lasted but for a single day. Then on Thursday, what earlier had seamed sure-thing passage of the SOPA bill in the House, or the PIPA bill in the Senate ended. At issue was the unfolding absence of the 60 votes needed to gain passage in the Senate, where Filibuster contention complicates passage of nearly all issues.

Then, earlier this morning, support for the bills in both the House and Senate essentially collapsed — at least, for today.

In a statement published on his Senate website, Majority Leader Harry Reid ( D-Nevada )  said:

January 20, 2012

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement today on the Senate’s PROTECT I.P. Act:

“In light of recent events, I have decided to postpone Tuesday’s vote on the PROTECT I.P. Act.

“There is no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved. Counterfeiting and piracy cost the American economy billions of dollars and thousands of jobs each year, with the movie industry alone supporting over 2.2 million jobs. We must take action to stop these illegal practices. We live in a country where people rightfully expect to be fairly compensated for a day’s work, whether that person is a miner in the high desert of Nevada, an independent band in New York City, or a union worker on the back lots of a California movie studio.

“I admire the work that Chairman Leahy has put into this bill.  I encourage him to continue engaging with all stakeholders to forge a balance between protecting Americans’ intellectual property, and maintaining openness and innovation on the internet.  We made good progress through the discussions we’ve held in recent days, and I am optimistic that we can reach a compromise in the coming weeks.”

Source: Senate Majority Leader Website

Elsewhere, in the House, Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), said:

Statement from Chairman Smith on Senate Delay of Vote on PROTECT IP Act

Washington, D.C. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today issued the following statement in response to the Senate decision to postpone consideration of legislation to help combat online piracy.

Chairman Smith:  “I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy. It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products.

“The problem of online piracy is too big to ignore. American intellectual property industries provide 19 million high-paying jobs and account for more than 60 percent of U.S. exports. The theft of America’s intellectual property costs the U.S. economy more than $100 billion annually and results in the loss of thousands of American jobs.  Congress cannot stand by and do nothing while American innovators and job creators are under attack.

“The online theft of American intellectual property is no different than the theft of products from a store.  It is illegal and the law should be enforced both in the store and online.

“The Committee will continue work with both copyright owners and Internet companies to develop proposals that combat online piracy and protect America’s intellectual property.  We welcome input from all organizations and individuals who have an honest difference of opinion about how best to address this widespread problem.  The Committee remains committed to finding a solution to the problem of online piracy that protects American intellectual property and innovation.”

The House Judiciary Committee will postpone consideration of the legislation until there is wider agreement on a solution.

Source: House Judiciary Committee Website