![[Politech logo]](http://www.politechbot.com/image/logo.gif){kind=logo}
Politech is the oldest Internet resource devoted to politics and technology. Launched in 1994 by Declan McCullagh, the mailing list has chronicled the growing intersection of culture, technology, politics, and law. Since 2000, so has the Politech web site.
I wrote a quick article about this (with comments from the MPAA and RIAA) that you can find here: http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-1007908.html -Declan --- From: Johnson, Eric Sent: Friday, May 16, 2003 2:55 PM To: Democratic AAs; Democratic LDs Subject: Join the IP Caucus Hi all. My boss, Rep Wexler, is starting a new caucus with Reps Adam Smith and Tom Feeney about intellectual property issues. If you would like to join the Congressional Caucus on Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention, contact myself or Ellen McLaren on my staff. Thanks and have a great weekend. Eric Johnson _____________ Chief of Staff, Congressman Robert Wexler 213 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-3001 202-225-5974 (fax) Protect American Innovation and Ideas Join the Congressional Caucus on Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention Dear Colleague, Intellectual property is the creative product of the human mind. Your intellectual property - whether patented invention, copyrighted song or trademark - is as much yours as your house or car. You enjoy the intellectual property of other people whenever you turn on your computer, listen to the radio, or watch television or a movie. Innovation in technology has allowed us to instantly communicate with friends and colleagues around the world with email programs and to dramatically improve productivity with easy-to-use computer operating systems. The innovation of artists, musicians and entertainers from George Gershwin and Maria Callas to Halle Berry and Garth Brooks has advanced all aspects of our culture. Innovation in agriculture, refinements in crop strains, allow us to enjoy more-resilient and better-tasting fruits and vegetables. And we can enjoy those innovations and many more like them because America has a long tradition of protecting intellectual property with over 200 years of strong copyright and patent law. Intellectual property can be difficult to see or touch but it is at the heart of American industry and exports and has been the catalyst of progress for decades. However, probably because intellectual property is intangible, the issues confronting intellectual property holders are often not well understood by the general public. Due to this lack of understanding, the concerns of the thousands of Americans whose livelihoods depend on intellectual property protection are not being fully debated or addressed. We want to invite you to join the Congressional Caucus on Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention. The role of the Congressional Caucus on Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention will be to educate members and staff about intellectual property rights, particularly as these rights relate to ever-changing technologies. The Caucus will work with experts from the Administration, executive branch, intellectual property holders, and consumer groups in order to facilitate more informed debate and legislative action on intellectual property protection and domestic and international piracy issues. It is our hope that the Caucus will create a forum for both domestic and international patent and copyright issues. If you are interested in joining the Congressional Caucus on Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention, please contact Ellen McLaren (Rep. Wexler) at 5-3001, Brandon Steinmann (Rep. Feeney) at 5-2706, or John Mulligan (Rep. A. Smith) at 5-8901. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/ Like Politech? Make a donation here: http://www.politechbot.com/donate/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------