WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) today joined an extensive coalition of 170 companies and business and professional organizations in support of the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property (PROTECT IP) Act (S. 968). A letter to all members of the Senate called for the enactment of the PROTECT IP Act this year.

“The coalition in support of the PROTECT IP Act is broad and growing, from traditional manufacturing to cutting-age technology companies, from individual creators and small businesses to America’s best-known, most trusted companies, from virtually every sector of the American economy,” said Mark Elliot, executive vice president of the GIPC.  “They all recognize an absolute necessity to stand up to online thieves and protect our ingenuity.  We encourage the Senate to take prompt action in passing the PROTECT IP Act, to save American jobs, protect consumers, and promote a healthy online commerce ecosystem.”

The letter, signed by 170 companies and organizations, emphasizes the concern that rogue sites wound the U.S. economy and undermine the very industries that innovate and support high-quality jobs. The letter also notes that these sites harm consumers, who “put themselves at risk of identity theft and malicious computer viruses by visiting these sites. The PROTECT IP Act is a major step to make the Internet safer and protect consumers from the dangers of rogue sites in the online marketplace.”

“The PROTECT IP Act is fair and balanced approach to confront the worst-of-the-worst counterfeiters and pirates who manipulate the online ecosystem and profit from work that is not their own,” added Elliot. “The Chamber echoes the sentiment expressed in the letter that now is the ‘the time for action against those who use websites to make illegal profits by stealing the intellectual property (IP) of America’s innovative and creative industries is now,’ and we stand ready to work with Congress to make this a reality.”

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.