Dear Mr. Litt:
Thank you for contacting me in support of Internet freedom. My apologies if you tried to access my website on Wednesday January 18, 2012--it was blacked out in solidarity with Oregonians like you who believe in Internet freedom and entrepreneurship.
I could not agree with you more regarding this flawed legislation. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is intended to protect the intellectual property of United States businesses by shutting down websites that traffick pirated material. There is widespread agreement that online piracy and the problem of "rogue" foreign sites can threaten the economic security of U.S. businesses. There is also widespread agreement that the Internet has revolutionized the way the world learns, interacts, and does business.
Well intentioned though it may be, I have very strong concerns that SOPA would infringe on Internet freedom, stifle the innovation critical for Oregon's startup culture, and threaten Internet security.
Congress must be careful to protect intellectual property rights without jeopardizing what has made the Internet one of the biggest drivers of the economy. SOPA does not strike this balance and needs to go back to the drawing board.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. I will continue working to protect the integrity of the Internet.
Sincerely,
Earl Blumenauer
Member of Congress
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