Here is the response I got back from Senator Roy Blunt about the SOPA bill currently in the Senate. Funny thing is in the response he references the Protect IP act instead of SOPA. Evidently this is a form letter that his office personel have never bothered giving an update to. He also says that "Businesses have lost $135 billion in revenue annually as a result of these rogue sites." but I have yet to see any actual proof of this. Especially considering the amount of theater, dvd and bluray this year.

Finally on his sites he lists at the end is his facebook page. After checking it out this shows his complete lack of ability to use social networking. His staff enters an announcement and then forgets about it. Some of his posts have gotten many comments on them but there is never a reply. So do we really want somebody who doesn't understand how to use something as simple as Facebook to their advantage to decide on the direction of the internet? I know I don't.

Thank you for contacting me regarding S. 968, the Protect IP Act.

Intellectual property industries employ more than 19 million people, making it an integral part of our economy. Rogue websites dedicated to the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods and pirated content are a direct threat to these jobs and to entrepreneurs growing and building legitimate businesses online.

Businesses have lost $135 billion in revenue annually as a result of these rogue sites. Customers have also been harmed by these sites; for example, online pharmacies that don't adhere to U.S. regulations have been reported to cause a rapid increase in prescription drug abuse.

I am a cosponsor of the Protect IP Act which would cut off foreign websites dedicated to counterfeiting and piracy that steal American jobs, hurt the economy, and harm customers. It would allow the Justice Department to file a civil action against those who have registered or own a domain name linked to an infringing website. The bill does not allow the Justice Department to target domain names registered by a U.S. entity.

Innovation is a cornerstone of our nation's economic growth. Proper intellectual property protections and incentives ensure that inventors develop products that benefit consumers. Without such incentives for innovators, we risk falling behind places like China and India.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I look forward to continuing our conversation on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/SenatorBlunt ) and Twitter ( www.twitter.com/RoyBlunt ) about the important issues f acing Missouri and the country. I also encourage you to visit my website ( blunt.senate.gov ) to learn more about where I stand on the issues and sign-up for my e-newsletter.

Sincere regards,

Roy Blunt
United States Senator