Customize the interests supporting and opposing this bill
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To add an interest, click Support or Oppose.
- Agribusiness
- Agricultural Services/Products
- Agricultural chemicals (fertilizers & pesticides) |
- Agricultural services & related industries |
- Animal feed & health products |
- Farm bureaus |
- Farm machinery & equipment |
- Farm organizations & cooperatives |
- Florists & Nursery Services |
- Grain traders & terminals |
- Veterinarians |
- Crop Production & Basic Processing
- Cotton |
- Crop production & basic processing |
- Farmers, crop unspecified |
- Other commodities (incl rice, peanuts, honey) |
- Sugar cane & sugar beets |
- Vegetables, fruits and tree nut |
- Wheat, corn, soybeans and cash grain |
- Dairy
- Milk & dairy producers |
- Food Processing & Sales
- Food & Beverage Products and Services |
- Food and kindred products manufacturing |
- Food stores |
- Food wholesalers |
- Meat processing & products |
- Forestry & Forest Products
- Forestry & Forest Products |
- Paper & pulp mills and paper manufacturing |
- Livestock
- Feedlots & related livestock services |
- Horse breeders |
- Livestock |
- Sheep and Wool Producers |
- Misc Agriculture
- Agriculture |
- Poultry & Eggs
- Poultry & eggs |
- Tobacco
- Tobacco & Tobacco products |
- Agricultural Services/Products
- Candidate
- Candidate Self-finance
- Candidate contribution to his/her own campaign |
- Candidate Self-finance
- Communic/Electronics
- Computers/Internet
- Computer manufacture & services |
- Computer software |
- Computers, components & accessories |
- Data processing & computer services |
- Online computer services |
- Electronics Mfg & Services
- Electronics manufacturing & services |
- Misc Communications/Electronics
- Communications & Electronics |
- Printing & Publishing
- Book, newspaper & periodical publishing |
- Commercial printing & typesetting |
- Greeting card publishing |
- Printing, publishing & allied industries |
- Telecom Services & Equipment
- Cellular systems and equipment |
- Other Communications Services |
- Satellite communications |
- Telecommunications |
- Telephone & communications equipment |
- Telephone Utilities
- Long-distance telephone & telegraph service |
- Telephone utilities |
- TV/Movies/Music
- Bands, orchestras & other live music production |
- Cable & satellite TV production & distribution |
- Commercial TV & radio stations |
- Entertainment Industry/Broadcast & Motion Pictures |
- Live theater & other entertainment productions |
- Motion Picture production & distribution |
- Movie Theaters |
- Recorded Music & music production |
- TV production & distribution |
- Computers/Internet
- Construction
- Building Materials & Equipment
- Building materials |
- Construction equipment |
- Electrical Supply |
- Lumber and wood products |
- Other construction-related products |
- Plumbing & pipe products |
- Stone, clay, glass & concrete products |
- Construction Services
- Architectural services |
- Engineering, architecture & construction mgmt svcs |
- Engineers - type unknown |
- Surveying |
- General Contractors
- Builders associations |
- Construction & Public Works |
- Construction, unclassified |
- Dredging Contractors |
- Public works, industrial & commercial construction |
- Home Builders
- Mobile home construction |
- Residential construction |
- Special Trade Contractors
- Electrical contractors |
- Landscaping & Excavation Svcs |
- Plumbing, heating & air conditioning |
- Special trade contractors |
- Building Materials & Equipment
- Defense
- Defense Aerospace
- Defense aerospace contractors |
- Defense Electronics
- Defense electronic contractors |
- Misc Defense
- Defense |
- Defense Research & Development |
- Defense shipbuilders |
- Defense-related services |
- Ground-based & other weapons systems |
- Homeland Security contractors |
- Defense Aerospace
- Energy/Nat Resource
- Electric Utilities
- Electric Power utilities |
- Gas & Electric Utilities |
- Independent power generation & cogeneration |
- Nuclear energy |
- Nuclear plant construction, equipment & svcs |
- Rural electric cooperatives |
- Environmental Svcs/Equipment
- Environmental services, equipment & consulting |
- Fisheries & Wildlife
- Fisheries & wildlife |
- Fishing |
- Hunting & wildlife |
- Mining
- Coal mining |
- Metal mining & processing |
- Mining |
- Mining services & equipment |
- Non-metallic mining |
- Misc Energy
- Alternate energy production & services |
- Energy production & distribution |
- Energy, Natural Resources and Environment |
- Power plant construction & equipment |
- Water Utilities |
- Oil & Gas
- Fuel oil dealers |
- Gasoline service stations |
- Independent oil & gas producers |
- LPG/Liquid Propane dealers & producers |
- Major (multinational) oil & gas producers |
- Natural Gas transmission & distribution |
- Oil & Gas |
- Oilfield service, equipment & exploration |
- Petroleum refining & marketing |
- Waste Management
- Waste management |
- Electric Utilities
- Finance/Insur/RealEst
- Accountants
- Accountants |
- Commercial Banks
- Banks & lending institutions |
- Commercial banks & bank holding companies |
- Credit Unions
- Credit unions |
- Finance/Credit Companies
- Credit agencies & finance companies |
- Insurance
- Accident & health insurance |
- Insurance |
- Insurance companies, brokers & agents |
- Life insurance |
- Property & casualty insurance |
- Misc Finance
- Credit reporting services & collection agencies |
- Finance, Insurance & Real Estate |
- Financial services & consulting |
- Investors |
- Other financial services |
- Tax return services |
- Real Estate
- Building operators and managers |
- Mobile home dealers & parks |
- Mortgage bankers and brokers |
- Other real estate services |
- Real estate |
- Real estate agents |
- Real Estate developers & subdividers |
- Title insurance & title abstract offices |
- Savings & Loans
- Savings banks & Savings and Loans |
- Securities & Investment
- Commodity brokers/dealers |
- Hedge Funds |
- Investment banking |
- Private Equity & Investment Firms |
- Securities, commodities & investment |
- Security brokers & investment companies |
- Stock exchanges |
- Venture capital |
- Accountants
- Health
- Health Professionals
- Chiropractors |
- Dentists |
- Health professionals |
- Nurses |
- Optometrists & Ophthalmologists |
- Other non-physician health practitioners |
- Other physician specialists |
- Pharmacists |
- Physicians |
- Psychiatrists & psychologists |
- Health Services/HMOs
- AIDS treatment & testing |
- Health care services |
- HMOs |
- Home care services |
- Medical laboratories |
- Mental Health Services |
- Optical services (glasses & contact lenses) |
- Outpatient health services (incl drug & alcohol) |
- Hospitals/Nursing Homes
- Drug & alcohol treatment hospitals |
- Health care institutions |
- Hospitals |
- Nursing homes |
- Misc Health
- Health, Education & Human Resources |
- Pharmaceuticals/Health Products
- Biotech products & research |
- Health care products |
- Medical supplies manufacturing & sales |
- Nutritional & dietary supplements |
- Personal health care products |
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing |
- Pharmaceutical wholesale |
- Health Professionals
- Ideology/Single-Issue
- Abortion Policy/Pro-Choice
- Abortion policy/Pro-Choice |
- Abortion Policy/Pro-Life
- Abortion policy/Pro-Life |
- Candidate Committees
- Candidate Committees |
- Democratic Candidate Committees |
- Republican Candidate Committees |
- Third-Party Candidate Committees |
- Unknown-Party Candidate Committees |
- Democratic/Liberal
- Democratic/Liberal |
- Environment
- Environmental policy |
- Foreign & Defense Policy
- Anti-Castro |
- Defense policy, doves |
- Defense policy, hawks |
- Foreign policy |
- Pro-Arab |
- Puerto Rico statehood policy |
- Gun Control
- Anti-Guns |
- Gun Rights
- Pro-Guns |
- Human Rights
- Children's rights |
- Gay & lesbian rights & issues |
- Health & welfare policy |
- Human Rights |
- Minority/Ethnic Groups |
- Leadership PACs
- Democratic leadership PAC |
- Democratic officials, candidates & former members |
- Leadership committees |
- Non-Federal candidate committees |
- Republican leadership PAC |
- Republican officials, candidates & former members |
- Misc Issues
- Animal Rights |
- Consumer groups |
- Elderly issues/Social Security |
- Fiscal & tax policy |
- General Ideological |
- Ideological & Single Issue PACs |
- Labor, anti-union |
- Legalization of Doctor-Assisted Suicide |
- Militias & Anti-Government Groups |
- Other single-issue or ideological groups |
- Pro-resource development groups |
- Term limits |
- Third-party committees |
- Pro-Israel
- Pro-Israel |
- Republican/Conservative
- Christian Conservative |
- Republican/Conservative |
- Women's Issues
- Women's issues |
- Abortion Policy/Pro-Choice
- Joint Candidate Cmtes
- Joint Candidate Cmte
- Democratic Joint Candidate Committee |
- Republican Joint Candidate Committee |
- Third-Party Joint Candidate Committee |
- Joint Candidate Cmte
- Labor
- Building Trade Unions
- Building trades unions |
- Industrial Unions
- Communications & hi-tech unions |
- Energy-related unions (non-mining) |
- IBEW (Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) |
- Manufacturing unions |
- Mining unions |
- Misc Unions
- Agricultural labor unions |
- Commercial service unions |
- Defense-related unions |
- Entertainment unions |
- Food service & related unions |
- General commercial unions |
- Health worker unions |
- Labor Unions |
- Other commercial unions |
- Other unions |
- Retail trade unions |
- Public Sector Unions
- Civil service & government unions |
- Federal employees unions |
- Police & firefighters unions & associations |
- State & local govt employee unions |
- Teachers unions |
- US Postal Service unions & associations |
- Transportation Unions
- Air transport unions |
- Automotive unions |
- Merchant marine & longshoremen unions |
- Other transportation unions |
- Railroad unions |
- Teamsters union |
- Transportation unions |
- Building Trade Unions
- Lawyers & Lobbyists
- Lawyers/Law Firms
- Attorneys & law firms |
- Corporate lawyers & law firms |
- Legal Services |
- Trial lawyers & law firms |
- Lobbyists
- Lobbyists & Public Relations |
- Registered Foreign Agents |
- Lawyers/Law Firms
- Misc Business
- Beer, Wine & Liquor
- Alcohol |
- Beer |
- Liquor stores |
- Liquor wholesalers |
- Wine & distilled spirits manufacturing |
- Business Associations
- Business tax coalitions |
- Chambers of commerce |
- General business associations |
- International trade associations |
- Pro-business associations |
- Small business associations |
- Business Services
- Advertising & public relations services |
- Business services |
- Commercial photography, art & graphic design |
- Direct mail advertising services |
- Employment agencies |
- Management consultants & services |
- Marketing research services |
- Outdoor advertising services |
- Political consultants/advisers |
- Security services |
- Casinos/Gambling
- Casinos, racetracks & gambling |
- Indian Gaming |
- Chemical & Related Manufacturing
- Adhesives & Sealants |
- Chemicals |
- Explosives |
- Household cleansers & chemicals |
- Paints, Solvents & Coatings |
- Plastics & Rubber processing & products |
- Food & Beverage
- Artificial sweeteners and food additives |
- Beverage bottling & distribution |
- Beverages (non-alcoholic) |
- Confectionery processors & manufacturers |
- Fish Processing |
- Food catering & food services |
- Restaurants & drinking establishments |
- Lodging/Tourism
- Hotels & motels |
- Lodging & tourism |
- Resorts |
- Travel agents |
- Misc Business
- Correctional facilities constr & mgmt/for-profit |
- General commerce |
- Import/Export services |
- Warehousing |
- Wholesale trade |
- Misc Manufacturing & Distributing
- Aluminum mining/processing |
- Clocks & watches |
- Clothing & accessories |
- Electrical lighting products |
- Electroplating, polishing & related services |
- Fabricated metal products |
- Furniture & wood products |
- Glass products |
- Hardware & tools |
- Heavy industrial manufacturing |
- Household & office products |
- Household appliances |
- Industrial/commercial equipment & materials |
- Jewelry |
- Manmade fibers |
- Manufacturing |
- Metal cans & containers |
- Office machines |
- Optical instruments & lenses |
- Paper packaging materials |
- Paper, glass & packaging materials |
- Personal products manufacturing |
- Photographic equipment & supplies |
- Precision instruments |
- Recycling of metal, paper, plastics, etc. |
- Shoes & leather products |
- Small arms & ammunition |
- Smelting & non-petroleum refining |
- Sporting goods sales & manufacturing |
- Toiletries & cosmetics |
- Toys |
- Misc Services
- Beauty & barber shops |
- Equipment rental & leasing |
- Funeral services |
- Laundries & dry cleaners |
- Miscellaneous repair services |
- Pest control |
- Physical fitness centers |
- Services |
- Video tape rental |
- Recreation/Live Entertainment
- Amusement parks |
- Amusement/recreation centers |
- Professional sports, arenas & related equip & svcs |
- Recreation/Entertainment |
- Retail Sales
- Apparel & accessory stores |
- Catalog & mail order houses |
- Consumer electronics & computer stores |
- Department, variety & convenience stores |
- Direct sales |
- Drug stores |
- Furniture & appliance stores |
- Hardware & building materials stores |
- Miscellaneous retail stores |
- Retail trade |
- Vending Machine Sales & Services |
- Steel Production
- Steel |
- Textiles
- Textiles & fabrics |
- Beer, Wine & Liquor
- Non-contribution
- Non-contribution
- Internal Transfer and other non-contributions |
- Non-Contribution, Miscellaneous |
- Public Funding |
- Transfer from intermediary ( type 24I or 24T) |
- Unitemized (small) contributions |
- Party Committee Transfer
- Transfer between national party committees |
- Non-contribution
- Other
- Civil Servants/Public Officials
- Civil servant/public employee |
- Courts & Justice System |
- Municipal & county government organizations |
- Public official (elected or appointed) |
- US Postal Service |
- Clergy & Religious Organizations
- Churches, clergy & religious organizations |
- Education
- Education |
- Law schools |
- Medical schools |
- Public school teachers, administrators & officials |
- Schools & colleges |
- Technical, business and vocational schools & svcs |
- Non-Profit Institutions
- Museums, art galleries, libraries, etc. |
- Non-profit foundations |
- Non-Profits |
- Philanthropists |
- Other
- Foreign Governments |
- Military |
- Other |
- Welfare & Social Work |
- Retired
- Retired |
- Civil Servants/Public Officials
- Party Cmte
- Party Committees
- Democratic Party Committees |
- Party Committees |
- Republican Party Committees |
- Third-Party Party Committees |
- Party Committees
- Transportation
- Air Transport
- Air freight |
- Air transport |
- Aircraft manufacturers |
- Aircraft parts & equipment |
- Airlines |
- Aviation services & airports |
- Express delivery services |
- General aviation (private pilots) |
- Space vehicles & components |
- Automotive
- Auto dealers, foreign imports |
- Auto dealers, new & used |
- Auto manufacturers |
- Auto repair |
- Automotive, Misc |
- Car rental agencies |
- Truck/Automotive parts & accessories |
- Misc Transport
- Bicycles & other non-motorized recreational transp |
- Bus services |
- Buses & Taxis |
- Freight & delivery services |
- Motor homes & camper trailers |
- Motorcycles, snowmobiles & other motorized vehicle |
- Pleasure boats |
- Recreational transport |
- Taxicabs |
- Transportation |
- Railroads
- Manufacturers of railroad equipment |
- Railroad services |
- Railroad transportation |
- Railroads |
- Sea Transport
- Cruise ships & lines |
- Sea freight & passenger services |
- Sea transport |
- Ship building & repair |
- Trucking
- Truck & trailer manufacturers |
- Trucking |
- Trucking companies & services |
- Air Transport
- Unknown
- Employer Listed/Category Unknown
- Employer listed but category unknown |
- Generic Occupation/Category Unknown
- Generic occupation - impossible to assign category |
- Homemakers/Non-income earners
- Homemakers, students & other non-income earners |
- No Employer Listed or Found
- No employer listed or discovered |
- Unknown
- Unknown |
- Employer Listed/Category Unknown
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Interests who did want this bill to become law included these interests and specific groups:
- Communications & Electronics
- Commercial printing & typesetting
- Entertainment Industry/Broadcast & Motion Pictures
- Motion Picture production & distribution
- Recorded Music & music production
- Bands, orchestras & other live music production
- Electronics manufacturing & services
- Online computer services
- Chambers of commerce
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing
- Commercial service unions
- Entertainment unions
- Teamsters union
- Manufacturing
- Truck/Automotive parts & accessories
Interests who did not want this bill to become law included these interests and specific groups:
(None found)
Contribution data provided by the Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets.org)
Comments ![RSS feed](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090117122302im_/http://maplight.org/sites/maplight.org/modules/map_comment/images/feed.jpg)
Certainly prioritizing resources...but for whom? by Peter Volberding, Jun 12, 2008 (1:52am)
HR 4279 is the hallmark legislation for tightening restrictions and improving the enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights, as it overshadowed S. 522 and raced through committee largely thanks to Rep. Conyers (D-MI). In fact, this legislation was overwhelmingly approved by the House (a 409-11 vote) and was broadly supported by nearly all the industries and unions, clearly signifying its importance, impartiality, and necessity as a law. Or is it?
First of all, this bill is much stronger than S. 522. It greatly increases the penalties that can be reaped in civil courts, toughens restrictions, pours resources into enforcement, and establishes an “IP-Czar” at the executive level. In its original conception, one of the most controversial sections was its allowance of suing per component, instead of the whole. For instance, downloading a CD illegally could be sued for $150,000 under the old legislation. However, if the CD had 10 songs on it, the lawsuit could jump ten-fold to $1,500,000, or a fine for each component. Thankfully, this was taken out, but many other harsh sections (per the request of the RIAA) still remain. It is also interesting to note that S. 522, though broadly supported by everyone, conspicuously lacked the support of the RIAA, MPAA, and telecommunications industry. The Copyright Alliance (a thinly-veiled coalition of corporations) is also a big contributor. It appears that without them on board, intellectual property rights legislation would go nowhere.
While legislators tout the broad support, it is actually fervently opposed by many. If all the corporations and unions support it, who’s left? Citizens. Opposition has grown with technology users (aka, everyone) and consumer advocacy groups because of the stringent, and unfair, laws that infringe upon people’s legal rights over the internet and created plausible fears of government monitoring and reduced liberties. The other opposition, ironically, comes from the Department of Justice (who doesn’t want to see their power diminished). Then why are legislators not more adequately reflecting the will of the people? Well, both groups don’t exactly wield enormous amounts of cash or political power.
Over the next four years, this bill is expected to also be enormously expensive, coming in at a projected $435 million. Ending with that, it seems that there really shouldn’t be enough to get this bill passed so solidly, so how did it get this far, so fast? Enter Rep. Conyers. It always helps to have the Chairman of the House Judicial Committee on your side. Some of his largest contributors are, unsurprisingly, the television, music, and telecommunication industries. Enough said.
It is apparent that intellectual property rights legislation will continue to evolve, as modes of communication rapidly change. But legislation should keep the interests of consumers, not just the profit margins of companies, in mind as well.
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