Wyden on PIPA: This Presents a Clear & Present Danger to Innovation

December 17, 2011: Senator Wyden delivers a floor speech on the motion to proceed to Protect IP, reaffirming his promise to filibuster the bill when it is brought to the floor in January 2012. Transcript: "I understand that cloture has been filed on the motion to proceed to the PIPA legislation. As one of a bipartisan group of Senators who strongly objects to proceeding to this bill I believe it is important to begin to outline the very real dangers posed by this bill. The primary architects of the Internet and our leading cyber-security experts have made it clear that this legislation will undermine the key technologies that prevent fraud and protect consumers on the Internet. Our nation's leading first amendment scholars have made it clear that this bill poses a serious threat to speech and civil liberties for all who use the Internet. And our nation's leading technology employers warn that this bill presents a clear and present danger to innovation and job growth in an area that is going to be a major source of new jobs for this century. Today, along with Sen. Moran of Kansas and Sen. Cantwell of Washington, I have introduced the OPEN Act. we believe this is a reasonable and bipartisan alternative to the PIPA bill and to the legislation that is before the other body and we hope that the Senate will take the time to consider alternatives before taking action that could deal an enormous body blow to a vital job engine for our economy. Over the past few weeks more than a ...