SOPA Opera

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Rep. John Sarbanes

Democrat from Maryland – 3rd District



Update (1/20/2012): SOPA and PIPA have been indefinitely postponed; see statements by Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Lamar Smith.

S001168

Stance on SOPA
50
Age
6
Years served in House
93.02%
% Votes with Party
Official homepage http://sarbanes.house.gov
Phone 202-225-4016
Fax 202-225-9219
Office 2444 Rayburn House Office Building
Twitter http://twitter.com/RepJohnSarbanes
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/JSarbanes

Financial Contributions by Industry

This reported campaign contributions information comes from the OpenSecrets/Center for Responsive Politics API (read more about their campaign-contributions-per-industry API). You can also visit the OpenSecrets profile for Rep. Sarbanes.

Industry Election Cycle Amount
Computers/Internet 2010 $3,000
2008 $3,200
TV/Movies/Music 2010 $1,000
2008 $6,600

Timeline: Rep. Sarbanes and SOPA

A list of statements and legislative actions made by Rep. Sarbanes relating to SOPA. Contact us at sopa[at]propublica.org if you have additions or corrections.

Jan 18, 2012 States opposition to SOPA in current form
"I believe that H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), is unworkable in its current form. The internet is a vital tool for innovation, creativity and economic growth for individuals and communities. I believe that it is critical we put in place an online regulatory framework that ensures the relationship between online consumers and industry is fair and equitable -- all the while ensuring we do not unintentionally stifle the ingenuity and openness that has enabled the internet and online commerce to thrive. However, online piracy is a real problem and internet commerce should not be a mechanism for abusive business practices, violations of individual privacy rights or copyright infringement. To that end, I strongly believe intellectual property and privacy laws should apply to all forms of commerce. SOPA would authorize the Department of Justice or a copyright or trademark holder to seek a court order blocking a rogue site committing or facilitating online piracy. It would also require online service providers, Internet search engines, payment network providers and Internet advertising services to carry out certain preventative measures including withholding services or blocking access to infringing sites. In particular, I believe the legislation, as written, is overly broad and could place unintended limits on free speech and threaten legitimate web sites. As this legislation proceeds, it will be critical that we settle on a policy that strikes the right balance between the protection of online intellectual property and the promotion of an open and free internet."
Nov 4, 2011 Letter to constituent
"Online commerce should not be a mechanism for abusive business practices, violations of individual privacy rights or copyright infringement. Intellectual property and privacy laws should apply to all forms of commerce. I am privileged to serve on the House Committee on Science and Technology, the committee with jurisdiction over technology policy, and I will be certain to keep your views in mind when the Committee or the full House of Representatives considers these issues in the future."

See a complete list of actions and statements by members of Congress