The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)
On October 1, 2011, eight Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiating partners -- including the United States -- signed a plurilateral agreement concerning the enforcement of intellectual property rights. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), ACTA is "a groundbreaking initiative by key trading partners to strengthen the international legal framework for effectively combating global proliferation of commercial-scale counterfeiting and piracy." (Read the full text of the agreement.)
The USTR believes that ACTA does not require any change to US law, so it therefore should not need Congressional approval. However, Senator Ron Wyden and others believe that ACTA should be approved by Congress. In a letter to President Obama, Senator Wyden wrote that "regardless of whether the agreement requires changes in U.S. law…the executive branch lacks constitutional authority to enter a binding international agreement covering issues delegated by the Constitution to Congress’ authority, absent congressional approval." (Read the full letter.)
At this point, no bill or resolution related to ACTA has been introduced in Congress. However, you can now weigh in on whether Congress should consider ACTA.
What’s your Position on Requiring Congress to Review ACTA?
By supporting, you will be telling Congress that ACTA should be considered by Congress.
By opposing, you will be telling Congress that ACTA does not need Congressional approval to become law.
Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill or an issue doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of an overwhelmingly complex legislative system.
