WASHINGTON, D.C.—David Hirschmann, President and CEO of the Global Intellectual Property Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement in response to the Obama Administration’s approach to combating online counterfeiting and piracy.

“We welcome the Obama Administration’s call for balanced, effective, and commercially responsible legislation to address the scourge of rogue websites. This much needed legislation can help protect American consumers and the 19 million workers employed in IP-intensive industries from foreign criminals. The Administration’s main concern, centered on DNS issues, has already been addressed by both Senator Leahy and Representative Smith. We also applaud Senator Reid, Senator Leahy, and Representative Smith for their commitment to move forward with pending legislation through an open and bipartisan process.

“Every day, consumers are duped, jobs are stolen, and businesses are crippled due to foreign rogue websites. That is why the Chamber strongly supports both the PROTECT IP Act in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act in the House—both are narrowly tailored bills designed to target the worst of the worst offenders. Given the broad consensus that this issue needs to be addressed, it is time to come together and adopt strong legislation that ends the ability of foreign criminals to prey on innocent consumers and steal American jobs.

“The Chamber will continue to work with the coalition of more than 400 businesses, trade associations, consumer advocates, labor and professional groups, in support of legislation to address this critical issue.

We will continue to work with Congress and the Administration to put foreign criminal websites out of the business of exploiting the American people.”

The Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center is working around the world to champion intellectual property (IP) rights as vital to creating jobs, saving lives, advancing global economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to global challenges.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.