U.S. Congress Member swho support SOPA/PIPA

The Electronic Frontier Foundation expressed concern that free and open source software (FOSS) projects found to be aiding online piracy could experience serious problems under SOPA.Of special concern was the web browser Firefox, which has an optional extension, MAFIAAFire Redirector, that redirects users to a new location for domains that were seized by the U.S. government. In May 2011, Mozilla refused a request by the United States Department of Homeland Security to remove MAFIAAFire from its website, questioning whether the software had ever been declared illegal

The AFL–CIO’s Paul Almeida, arguing in favor of SOPA, has stated that free speech was not a relevant consideration, because “Freedom of speech is not the same as lawlessness on the Internet. There is no inconsistency between protecting an open Internet and safeguarding intellectual property. Protecting intellectual property is not the same as censorship; the First Amendment does not protect stealing goods off trucks.”

Policy analysts for New America Foundation say this legislation would enable law enforcement to take down an entire domain due to something posted on a single blog, arguing, “an entire largely innocent online community could be punished for the actions of a tiny minority”

The Stop Online Piracy Act was introduced by Representative Lamar Smith.

Sponsors at introduction

  1. Howard Berman
  2. Mary Bono Mack
  3. Steve Chabot
  4. John Conyers
  5. Ted Deutch
  6. Elton Gallegly
  7. Bob Goodlatte
  8. Adam Schiff
  9. Marsha Blackburn
  10. Timothy Griffin
  11. Withdrew Sponsorship
  12. Dennis A. Ross
  13. Withdrew Sponsorship
  14. Lee Terry

Subsequent sponsors

  1. Mark Amodei
  2. Joe Baca
  3. John Barrow
  4. Karen Bass
  5. John Carter
  6. Judy Chu
  7. Jim Cooper
  8. Peter T. King
  9. John Larson
  10. Ben R. Luján
  11. Thomas Marino
  12. Alan Nunnelee
  13. Bill Owens
  14. Steve Scalise
  15. Brad Sherman
  16. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
  17. Melvin Watt
  18. Tim Holden
  19. Benjamin Quayle

Senators who support PIPA

The Protect IP Act  was introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid planned to bring it to a vote on January 24. Reid rejected a request by six Senators for a postponement, saying “this is an issue that is too important to delay”.

  1. Lamar Alexander
  2. Jeff Bingaman
  3. Richard Blumenthal
  4. Barbara Boxer
  5. Sherrod Brown
  6. Bob Casey, Jr.
  7. Saxby Chambliss
  8. Thad Cochran
  9. Chris Coons
  10. Bob Corker
  11. Dick Durbin
  12. Mike Enzi
  13. Dianne Feinstein
  14. Al Franken
  15. Kirsten Gillibrand
  16. Lindsey Graham
  17. Chuck Grassley
  18. Kay Hagan
  19. Johnny Isakson
  20. Tim Johnson
  21. Amy Klobuchar
  22. Herb Kohl
  23. Mary Landrieu
  24. Joseph Lieberman
  25. John McCain
  26. Bob Menendez
  27. Bill Nelson
  28. Jim Risch
  29. Chuck Schumer
  30. Jeanne Shaheen
  31. Tom Udall
  32. Sheldon Whitehouse
  33. Benjamin Quayle
  34. Dennis A. Ross
  35. Lee Terry

Senate Judiciary Committee
In May 2011, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to report in favor of PIPA

  1. Patrick Leahy
  2. Herb Kohl
  3. Dianne Feinstein
  4. Chuck Schumer
  5. Richard Durbin
  6. Sheldon Whitehouse
  7. Amy Klobuchar
  8. Al Franken
  9. Chris Coons
  10. Richard Blumenthal
  11. Chuck Grassley
  12. Orrin Hatch
  13. Jon Kyl
  14. Jeff Sessions
  15. Lindsey Graham
  16. John Cornyn
  17. Mike Lee
  18. Tom Coburn

Brooklyn Law School professor Jason Mazzone warned, “Much of what will happen under SOPA will occur out of the public eye and without the possibility of holding anyone accountable. For when copyright law is made and enforced privately, it is hard for the public to know the shape that the law takes and harder still to complain about its operation

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