How to Protest SOPA

In honor of the official-unofficial SOPA protest today, rather than going black we’re going bright: information to help you be a better advocate against ill-conceived internet censoring legislation.

SOPA Status

SOPA – The Stop Online Piracy Act – is currently being marked up in the House Judiciary Committee. They’re taking a break at the moment, and are expected to pick the bill back up in early February.

A bill in “markup” is in the part of the process where committees really do their work. Markup happens after the committee hears testimony, and is the stage in policy making when bills are really debated, amended, and rewritten.

Who Has Power on SOPA Right Now?

The Members of Congress with power to do anything on SOPA right now, in order of influence at this point in the process, are:

1. House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R, TX-21)

Congressman Smith is the sponsor of the SOPA. He will be working to pass it, and grassroots advocacy to change his mind is highly unlikely to succeed.

2. Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee

Here’s who they are and their current public position on SOPA (all positions according to Pro Publica )

Adams (FL-24): ??
Amodei (NV-2): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Chabot (OH-1): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Chaffetz (UT-3): Oppose
Coble (NC – 6): ??
Forbes (VA-4): ??
Franks (AZ-2): ??
Gallegly (CA-24): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Gohmert (TX-1): ??
Goodlatte (VA-6): Support
Gowdy (SC-4): ??
Griffin (AR-2): Support (Co-Sponsor) Oppose
Issa (CA-49): Oppose
Jordan: (OH-4): ??
King (IA-5): ??
Lungren (CA-3): ??
Marino (PA-10): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Pence (IN-6): ??
Poe (TX-2): ??
Quayle (AZ-3): Support (Co-Sponsor) Oppose
Ross (FL-12): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Sensenbrenner, Jr. (WI-5): Oppose

The count among Republicans on House Judiciary is:
Support: 8 6 (including 7 5 co-sponsors)
Oppose: 2 5
Unknown: 11

Co-sponsors are extremely unlikely to withdraw their support for the bill, absent an alternative. If you live in their districts, let them know you’re disappointed, and that you hope they’ll sign on to OPEN instead.

The two Republicans who have come out in opposition to SOPA are also unlikely to waver. Rep. Chaffetz provided a video to KeepthewebOpen.com and made on-the-record comments in committee in opposition to SOPA. He’s solid.

Similarly, Rep. Issa spoke out against SOPA as currently written and announced plans to introduce an alternate bill, the OPEN Act. (Keep your advocacy hat on in the coming weeks – OPEN is the next big thing in this fight.)

Protest SOPA by encouraging everyone you know who lives in a district represented by one of the uncommitted House Judiciary Republicans to weigh in against SOPA here: https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/hr3261
and find phone numbers to call their Congressperson here: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

UPDATE: Lo and behold – on January 18th, two Republican co-sponsors on the House Judiciary committee withdrew their support! And all it took was the entire internet to rise up is protest. 

2. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee

Berman (CA-28): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Chu (CA-32): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Cohen (TN-9): ??
Conyers (MI-14): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Deutch (FL-19): Support (Co-Sponsor)
Jackson-Lee (TX-18): Leaning Oppose
Johnson (GA-4): ??
Lofgren (CA-16): Oppose
Nadler (NY-8): ??
Polis (CO-2): Oppose
Quigley (IL-5): ??
Sanchez (CA-39): ??
Scott (VA-3): ??
Waters (CA-35): ??
Watt (NC-12): Support (Co-Sponsor)

The count among Democrats on House Judiciary is:
Support: 5 (all 5 are co-sponsors)
Oppose: 2
Leaning Oppose: 1
Unknown: 7

Protest SOPA! Encourage everyone you know who lives in a district represented by one of the uncommitted House Judiciary Democrats to weigh in against SOPA here:
https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/hr3261
and find phone numbers to call their Congressperson here: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

3. House Republican Leadership

In the event SOPA opponents fail to kill it in the House Judiciary committee, SOPA will go to a full House vote where House Republican leadership can play a significant role.

None of the Republican leaders have taken a public stand on SOPA. Here’s who they are:

Speaker Boehner (OH-8): ??
Majority Leader Cantor (VA-7): ??
Majority Whip McCarthy (CA-22): ??
Republican Conference Chairman Hensarling (TX-5): ??
Republican Policy Committee Chairman Price (GA-6): ??

After you’ve sent everyone you know represented by an uncommitteed legislator on House Judiciary to make their voice heard here:
https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/hr3261
and follow up with a phone call (contact info here: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/),

then encourage everyone you know who is represented by one of the Republican leaders listed above to make their voice heard.

4. House Democratic Leadership

Democratic Leadership also plays a role in the event of a full House vote.

Democratic leaders are:

Democratic Leader Pelosi (CA-8): Oppose
Democratic Whip Hoyer (MD-5): ??
Assistant Democratic Leader Clyburn (SC-6): ??
Democratic Caucus Chairman Larson (CT-1): Support (Co-Sponsor)

So that’s one no, one co-sponsoring yes, and two unknowns amongst Democratic leaders.

You know the drill: first get everyone you know who is represented by an uncommitted legislator on House Judiciary to make their voice heard:
https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/hr3261
find contact info for a phone call: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

Then get folks represented by Congressman Hoyer or Congressman Clyburn to encourage these two Democratic leaders to oppose SOPA.

5. All other members of the House.

A full House vote would give every member of the House a vote on the issue.

Including those listed above, the current count on House members who have taken a public position on SOPA is:

Support: 32 27
Oppose: 25 83
Leaning Oppose: 34
Unknown: 290

So, no matter where you live, make your voice heard in opposition to SOPA:
Do it here: https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/hr3261
And make a phone call to your Congressperson, too: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

—-

It never hurts to know the ins and outs of the policy you’re protesting. If you’re feeling a bit in the dark about SOPA and it’s Senate sister bill, PIPA, read a quick primer here, or watch a tongue-in-cheek, mildly NSFW explanation here.

NOTE: THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT CHANGES IN THE VOTE COUNT. IT HAS ALSO BEEN CHANGED FOR RELEVANCE POST-SOPA PROTEST DAY, WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED.

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