Following a public outcry, involving an estimated 15 million Americans, Republican and Democratic leaders, and even the online activist collective Anonymous, United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Friday withdrew his plan to consider the controversial Protect IP act.
Commonly known as PIPA, opponents, including U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, of Kansas, came together in opposition.
During a Friday afternoon news conference, Moran addressed the odd bedfellows that have been working together in the fight against the legislation(Play Audio 27 secs)
Moran was joined during the conference by Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, of Oregon. The two Senators from across party lines are co-sponsoring counter legislation to PIPA, known as the OPEN Act.
Wyden, mincing no words, explained that the counter legislation does not include the free-speech silencing provisions opposed in PIPA(Play Audio 33 secs)
Moran stated, that in all of his years of government leadership, never has he seen such political interest by young constituents(Play Audio 28 secs)
Both Moran, and Wyden, were preparing for a filibuster to keep the legislation from coming to a vote, prior to Reid's decision to pull it.
However, Moran is adamant in saying he believes the legislation, which he calls a “threat,” will resurface in the future.
In the meantime, he and Wyden will work to popularize the OPEN Act, which would use import trade laws to protect intellectual property against piracy. Competing controversial legislation in the House, known as SOPA, was also pulled Friday by Republican Lamar Smith, the chief sponsor of the bill, due to the strong outcry
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