A very forceful S.3804 is moving right along, thanks to a unanimous approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. In short, the bill—known as the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, or COICA - gives the Department of Justice the ability to shut down infringing sites, among other enforcement powers. It has also been part of a rhetorical battle against the 'copyleft,' and UMGD chief Jim Urie has been rallying industry support around the initiative.
Well, looks like those efforts are paying off. “Although this is just one step in a lengthy process, it is a welcome and important signal that a strong, bipartisan majority is working together to move this bill forward," said National Music Publishers' Association president David Israelite.
A copy of the bill (PDF) is here.
