Dear Mr. Baker:
Thank you for contacting me regarding your opposition to anti-piracy legislation, including the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA S. 968). I appreciate your taking the time to do so.
I share your concerns, and you may be pleased to know that on January 20, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid withdrew a scheduled procedural vote on PIPA. You may also be pleased to know that even key co-sponsors of PIPA have now withdrawn their support. The anti-piracy legislation, as currently drafted and as you have noted, needs significant revision. For example, serious, legitimate concerns have been raised about threats of tampering with the current domain name system, the potential for increased litigation costs, possible limitations on our First Amendment rights, and potentially increased threats to cyber security.
Rather than the Senate moving too quickly on the PROTECT IP Act, we should instead proceed cautiously and allow for an open and fair amendment process to ensure that the legislation is narrowly tailored to targeting criminals, while also preserving the accessibility and integrity of the Internet. In sum, I believe that the Senate will not pass this bill in its current form.
Again, thank you for contacting me.
Sincerely,
Susan M. Collins
United States Senator
