Opening Statement of Rep. James Rogan (R-CA). Hearing: House Courts and Intellectual Property Subcommittee. Re: HR 1744 IH, Copyright Damages Improvement Act. Date: May 12, 1999. Source: This document was created by Tech Law Journal by transcribing an audio recording.

Mr. Chairman, I commend you for holding a hearing on this important issue. As you know, much of our recent economic growth is a direct result of the rapidly expanding technology based economy.

_____ of this expansion depends on the strict enforcement of the copyright protection statutes. Currently, copyright violation on the Internet is a growing problem. We must work to ensure that changes in federal law keep up with changes in technology. One way we can ensure this is by raising the penalties violators face when convicted of copyright infringement.

To do so the Chairman and I have introduced the Copyright Damages Improvement Act of 1999, which makes significant improvements to the copyright. This bill will increase damages for copyright infringement, and serve as a strong deterrent for those who wish to skirt the law.

As we are all aware, the Internet and online commerce have opened a whole new world to consumers and to businesses. But at the same time, it has created a new venue for those who deliberately break the law and violate copyright protections. The Copyright Damages Improvement Act will increase the range of statutory damages which violators can be held liable for. These penalities have not been increased in over ten years.

Mr. Chairman, it is crucial that this country remains the leader in protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. It is our obligation to continue to support the value and integrity of intellectual property and to set an example for other countries to follow.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time.