Urgent Call to Action: Pending Illegal File Sharing Legislation Harmful to Higher Education

Republican members of the House Committee on Education and Labor have just introduced legislation to control illegal file sharing in higher education that uses essentially the same language as the recent Reid amendment in the Senate. This bill, called the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2007, includes language that:

• Makes the Secretary of Education an agent of the entertainment industry.
• Gives schools no right to contest or appeal industry provided-statistics on copyright violations that can result in severe penalties.
• Requires use of unproven and very expensive technological controls.
• Could result in the loss of financial aid to all students of schools that do not comply.
• Singles out institutions of higher education and ignores commercial ISPs.

EDUCAUSE members are encouraged to contact their representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives immediately to oppose these measures. Access information on the relevant legislative language, talking points, and a template response to use.