Sen. Reid pushes Web censorship bill; foe promises filibuster
It is showdown time in the United States Senate for friends and foes of S.968, aka the IP Protect Act, which sets up a fast track system for removing websites that rightsholders deem to be “dedicated to infringing activities.” On Saturday, senators filed a motion of cloture on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) motion to proceed to the bill.
Cloture puts a time frame on deliberation of any Congressional action item. The point is to defeat procedural efforts to block the legislation. The blocker in question took note of this move on Saturday. Six months ago Ron Wyden (D-OR) placed a “hold” on the proposed law. According to senate lingo, a hold is an “informal practice by which a Senator informs his or her floor leader that he or she does not wish a particular bill or other measure to reach the floor for consideration.”
Now Wyden promises to filibuster the legislation when the Senate returns in January.
“As one of a bipartisan group of Senators who strongly objects to proceeding to this bill I believe it is important to begin to outline the very real dangers posed by this bill,” his statement warns.
