"We started this battle with strong legislative support and we still have that," said Mike Nugent, executive director of Creative America. He called the blackout by Wikipedia and others an abuse of the process. "What they're trying to do is extort cooperation from legislators and voters through blackout techniques.''
The Senate plans to go ahead with a key procedural vote Tuesday on thePROTECT-IP Actin an effort to revise the bill and pass it within a week or two. The bill, also known as the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act, has 40 co-sponsors.
Senate Judiciary Committee ChairmanPatrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), the lead sponsor of the bill, is working on a package of amendments to address opponents' concerns. He now says the site-blocking provision should be studied, but it's unclear whether he will propose removing it.
Smith said his committee would resume deliberations next month on its version of the legislation, the Stop Online Piracy Act. Last week, he committed to removing the site-blocking provision.
Capitol Hill opponents of the legislation called for more hearings. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who has led Senate opposition to the pieces of legislation in the Senate and the House, said he plans to filibuster the vote to allow for more time to craft a compromise.
He has been working with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) on a narrower bill that targets the flow of money to foreign piracy sites through trade laws.
Wyden said the Internet strike and other actions by online activists would help narrow the bill further.
jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com
richard.verrier@latimes.com
