September 22, 2011 TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS: The undersigned businesses, trade associations, and professional and labor organizations, representing a broad cross-section of the American economy, write in support of rogue sites legislation. We commend the Senate for their early attention to this important issue and look forward to the introduction of a bill in the House. We urge Congress to enact legislation which targets those who abuse the Internet ecosystem and reap illegal profits by stealing the intellectual property (IP) of America’s innovative and creative industries. These rogue sites—those websites dedicated to counterfeiting and piracy—put American jobs, consumers, and innovation at risk. Using the veil of sophisticated and well-designed websites, many of these online IP thieves pose as legitimate businesses, luring consumers to purchase fraudulent products. Some of these rogue sites even sell dangerously defective goods that needlessly jeopardize the health and safety of American consumers who are deceived into purchasing consumer goods that are poorly constructed or even contaminated with dangerous toxins. Consumers also unwittingly put themselves at risk of identity theft and malicious computer viruses by visiting these sites. IP-intensive industries are a cornerstone of the U.S. economy, employing more than 19 million people and accounting for 60 percent of exports. Rampant online counterfeiting and piracy presents a clear and present threat to American jobs and innovation. A study examined approximately 100 rogue sites and found that these sites attracted more than 53 billion visits per year, which average out to approximately nine visits for every man, woman, and child on Earth. Global sales of counterfeit goods via the Internet from illegitimate retailers reached $135 billion in 2010. The theft of American IP is the theft of American jobs. The United States cannot and should not tolerate this criminal activity. Not only are jobs and consumers at risk, but rogue sites contribute absolutely no value to the U.S. marketplace. The operators of rogue sites break laws, do not pay taxes, and skirt accountability. In light of these concerns, we urge you to enact carefully balanced rogue sites legislation this year. We commend both the House and the Senate for their attention to this important issue and look forward to working with you in support of that goal. Sincerely, 1-800 Contacts, Inc. 1-800-PetMeds 2b1 Inc 3M Company ABRO Industries, Inc. Acushnet Company adidas America Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) Allen Russell Photography Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers Alliance of Visual Artists (AVA) Altria Client Services American Apparel and Footwear Association American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) American Board of Internal Medicine American Federation of Musicians American Gramaphone LLC American Made Alliance American Mental Health Counselors Association American Photographic Artists American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) American Society of Media Photographers American Society of Picture Professionals American Watch Association Anatoly Pronin Photography Andrea Rugg Photography Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Initiative (ACAPI) Applied DNA Sciences Art Holeman Photography Association of American Publishers (AAP) Association of Equipment Manufacturers Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) Association of Test Publishers AstraZeneca plc Australian Medical Council Autodesk, Inc. Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association Baker & Taylor Ent. Bay State Psychological Associates Beachbody, LLC Beam Global Spirits & Wine Blue Sky Studios, Inc. Bose Corporation Braasch Biotech LLC Brian Stevenson Photography Brigid Collins Family Support Center Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) Burberry C. F. Martin & Co., Inc. Callaway Golf Company Cascade Designs Incorporated Caterpillar Inc. Caveon, LLC CBS Corporation Cengage Learning Center for Credentialing & Education Center Stage Photography CFA Institute Chanel USA Christopher Semmes Photography Church Music Publishers Association CMH Images Coach Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (CACP) Columbia Sportswear Company Comcast Corporation Commercial Photo Design Commercial Photographers International Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System Consumer Healthcare Products Association Copyright Alliance Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) Coty Inc. Council of Fashion Designers of America Country Music Association CropLife America Cross-Entertainment LLC CSA Group CVS Caremark D'Addario & Company, Inc. Dan Sherwood Photography Danita Delimont Stock Photography Dayco Products, LLC Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Dennyfoto Derek DiLuzio Photography DeVaul Photography Direct Selling Association (DSA) Directional Insight Distefano Enterprises Inc. Doriguzzi Photographic Artistry Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Dolce & Gabbana USA, INC. Dollar General Corporation Don Grall Photography Dunford Architectural Photography Eagle Rock Entertainment Ed McDonald Photography Educational & Industrial Testing Service Electronic Arts, Inc. Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA) Eli Lilly and Company Englebert Photography Entertainment Software Association (ESA) ERAI, Inc. Eric Meola Studio Inc Evidence Photographers International Council Ex Officio Exxel Outdoors FAME Publishing Co., LLC. FAME Recording Studios Far Bank Enterprises Fashion Business Incorporated Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy Fender Musical Instrument Company Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA) Ford Motor Company Fortune Brands, Inc. Fred J. Lord Photography GAR Associates Gelderland Productions, L.L.C. Gemvision Corporation Gibson Guitar Corp. GlaxoSmithKline Gospel Music Association Governors America Corp. Graduate Management Admission Council Graphic Artists Guild Greeting Card Association (GCA) Greg Nikas Photography Guru Denim H.S. Marketing & Design, Inc. Harley-Davidson Motor Company HarperCollins Publishers Harry Fox Agency Hastings Entertainment, Inc. ICM Distributing Company, Inc. IDS Publishing IEC Electronics corp. 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Light Perspectives Linda Olsen Photography Little Dog Records Liz Claiborne, Inc L'Oréal USA Lucky Brand Jeans LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Macmillan Major League Baseball Marcia Andberg Associates LLC Mark Niederman Photography Marmot Marona Photography McLain Photography Inc Merck & Co., Inc. Messy Face Designs, Inc. Michael Stern Photography MicroRam Electronics, Inc. Minter Works of Art Mira Images Monster Cable Products, Inc. Moose’s Photos Morningstar Films LLC Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. 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Reed Elsevier Inc. Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) Revlon Richard Flutie Photography Rite Aid Robin Davis Photography, Inc. Rodger Scott Craig, a member of Liverpool Express, The Merseybeats, Fortune, Harlan Cage, 101 South, and Mtunz Media Roger Smith Photography Services Rolex Watch USA Inc. Romance Writers of America (RWA) Rosetta Stone Inc. Saddle Creek Sage Studios LLC Sam D'Amico Photography Schneider Electric Sean McGinty Photography Secret Sea Visions (Photography) SESAC, Inc. SG Industries, Inc. Shure Incorporated SIGMA Assessment Systems Six Degrees Records Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council SMC Entertainment SMT Corp. SoBe Entertainment Society of Sport & Event Photographers Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) Sony Electronics Inc. Sony Music Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment Soul Appeal Records and Music SoundExchange Southern Gothic LLC Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) SPI (The Plastics Industry Trade Association) Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association Sports Rights Owners Coalition Spring Fever Productions LLC Spyder Active Sports, Inc Stenbakken Photography Stephen Dantzig Photography Stock Artist Alliance Stuart Weitzman Holdings, LLC Student Photographic Society Studio 404 SunRise Solar Inc. Taylor Glenn Photographs Taylor Guitars Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. Tednologies, Inc. The Cambridge Don The Collegiate Licensing Company/IMG College The Donath Group, Inc. The Dow Chemical Company The Estee Lauder Companies The McGraw-Hill Companies The Music People! Inc. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) The Recording Academy (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) The Timberland Company The Walt Disney Company Tiffany & Co. Time Warner Inc. 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