Don't write you rep about the Orphan Bill!

[ShaneKislack]

Let this website do it for you. It's much better written than most of can do on our own. Plus it will automatically send the letter to your reps by email and takes less than 2 minutes.

Scroll down near the bottom for the 'photographer's letter'.

http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/home/

[andyz]

If you really want to get your point across though, use a template but customize it so that it is your own. When comment letters are submitted and the same one is seen time after time, they have less weight. They have a effect when 10,000 are sent, but to get the same one 50 times just means someone took only 2 minutes to express someone else's opinion.

[ShaneKislack]

Andy, I'm not sure I share your opinion. Besides, you can customize the letter.

[dreemes]

This got me to thinking....

If I was a congressman I think I'd probably hit the delete key on all emails coming in to support or appose a bill. If the person didn't care enough about a bill to write a letter, put it in an envelope address it, put a stamp on it and mail it then why should I care to read it? Emails make it too easy for one person to send multiple letters under different email addresses.

[ShaneKislack]

Think green, Dan. Think green.

[andyz]

I can say that as a banker, comment letters about proposed laws and regulations are more often sent via email now, than on paper. Those that I send are often copied to my representatives in the beltway so they know how some of their constituents feel. I can't swear they read any of them, but I can say it is a common method of communication.

[JMI]

They don't actually read anything, I'm sure. They have staffers scan incoming mail and put a tic mark in the "for" or "against" column and just give them an idea later of how the numbers are running.

[ShaneKislack]

Got a reply today

Dear Mr. Kislack:

Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 5889, the Orphan Works Act of 2008. I appreciate hearing your views on this legislation.

As you may know, Congressman Howard Berman (D-California) introduced H.R. 5889 on April 24, 2008. If passed, this legislation would limit the remedies in a civil action brought for copyright infringement in an orphan work if it can be proved that: (1) the infringer performed a reasonably diligent search to locate the copyright owner before using the work; (2) a Notice of Use was filed with the Register of Copyrights before the work was used; and (3) the infringing use of the work provided attribution to the author and owner of the copyright, if known. Additionally this bill would allow awards for the use of the infringed work, except if: (1) the infringement is performed without any commercial advantage and for primarily a charitable, religious, scholarly, or educational purpose; and (2) the infringer quickly ceases their work after receiving notice of the claim for infringement.

The Orphan Works Act of 2008 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Although I am not a member of this committee, rest assured I will keep your opinions in mind should this bill reach for House floor for a vote.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent you in the U.S. House of Representatives. Please feel free to visit my website (www.house.gov/burgess) or contact me with any future concerns.

Sincerely,

Michael C. Burgess, M.D.
Member of Congress