Washington - Sep 20, 2010 - A bipartisan group of Senators introduced legislation to address the growing problem of online piracy and counterfeiting. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and senior Republican member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act. The legislation is cosponsored by Committee members Herb Kohl (D-WI), Arlen Specter (D-PA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and George Voinovich (R-OH) are also cosponsors of the legislation.

The legislation will give the Department of Justice tools to track and shut down websites devoted to providing access to unauthorized downloads, streaming or sale of copyrighted content and counterfeit goods. The illegal products offered through these websites, which are often foreign-owned and operated, range from new movie and music releases, to pharmaceuticals and consumer products. Intellectual property theft costs the U.S. economy more than $100 billion every year, according to estimates.

The key points of the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act: