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Very interesting to see Darrell Issa (R - CA) as a sponsor on this bill, given how eloquently he's spoken out against SOPA in the Judiciary Committee. Here's th
by boredguy8 15y ago
Very interesting to see Darrell Issa (R - CA) as a sponsor on this bill, given how eloquently he's spoken out against SOPA in the Judiciary Committee. Here's the copy of the email I just sent his office: I'll try and contact his office by phone tomorrow.
Hello,
It's been with great pleasure that I've been able to watch Representa-
tive Issa speak out against SOPA in the Judiciary.
However, I'm concerned at seeing him offer "H.R.3699 -- Research Works
Act" as such an act is a major blow to scientific openness.
As you may well be aware, in many nations it's a requirement that re-
search receiving federal funds (i.e. research at taxpayer expense) be
made available for free to the public. The recent policy proposal by
the NIH would move the US towards a similarly open policy and would
help foster the openness of research that made this country such a
leader in science and technology for so long.
Unfortunately, companies like Elsevier have increasingly treated pub-
lishing as a private cash cow, banking (in part) on the burgeoning
costs of a university education to widen its coffers. The journals
published by Elsevier cost colleges and universities millions of
dollars each year and burden students with growing debt (and for
others, preclude the possibility of higher education at all).
I ask that Representative Issa revisit his stand on this issue.
Thank you.
- kevinchen 15y agoIs there a searchable list of supporting representatives / organizations as there is for SOPA?
- dangrossman 15y agohttp://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3699/show http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3699/show
- patio11 15y agoFWIW, since people don't seem to know this: Dead tree letters >> phone > fax >>> email >>>>>>> any online petition, in terms of how motivated staff are to convey your sentiment up the totem pole. (Anecdotal from brothers' service with a few congressional reps.) [Edit: Sorry, checked on my screen but didn't realize my resolution was too high to show me if it broke lines.]
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- rdl 15y agoIn-person meeting is top, and not THAT hard to get if you can plausibly represent a group.
- jowiar 15y agoGenerally I've had no issues getting meetings, at least with a staffer, of my congressperson. On a sidenote, does a group that focuses on gov't relations and PR exist that represents what would is largely the consensus HN community interest - i.e. making the case to elected officials and the public what sort of laws would improve prospects for technical innovation. The EFF focuses largely on digital civil rights, but that certainly isn't the only realm where Washington, Sacramento, Albany, etc. affect us. Thoughts?
- rdl 15y agoI'd be really wary unless it had a very very focused mission. I think there's a lot of diversity among HN readers, and I hate being a part of organizations which claim to speak for me but end up supporting things I oppose, etc. Right now, I think the startup visa thing and opposition to new stupid laws like sopa/pipa is all I have mental bandwidth to care about.
- c0riander 15y agoBased on my experience as an intern several years ago, the following were the BEST way to have your opinion passed along: 1) Phone calls 2) PERSONALIZED dead tree letters (not form ones, photo copies, or from one of those letter generators) YMMV depending on who your rep is though.
- guelo 15y agoIssa is a sponsor of the OPEN act which is almost as bad as SOPA/PIPA.