Comments/Opinions/Suggestions (Fwd: Attached
is Democratic Press Release)
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 12:34:12 -0400
From: Paul Kanciruk <pkk@ornl.gov>
Subject: Fwd: Attached is Democratic Press Release
Science & Technology News
June 11, 1999
House Science Committee, Democratic Membership
MEDIA ADVISORY: SYMPOSIUM ON THE DATABASE PROTECTION CONTROVERSY
Representatives Lynn Rivers (MI), Mark Udall (CO) and David Wu (OR)
will host a symposium on proposed changes to the database intellectual
property regime. The symposium will be held in Room 2325 of the
Rayburn House Office Building at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 17.
While there is agreement that there is a need for new database
protections, enormous conflicts mark the approaches advocated by
commercial companies, libraries, scientific societies and
universities. On the one side stand select software and information
industry companies and large private database firms or other owners of
databases who want their property rights expanded. These groups are
backing a bill authored by Representative Coble. On the other side,
supporting a bill authored by Representative Bliley, are libraries,
scientific societies and various business groups representing an array
of companies in the banking and telecommunications industries who see
their interests tied to ready access to data. Many universities are
divided over an approach as their researchers rely on access to
databases, but universities often produce databases that they would
benefit from protection.
The symposium will explore the implications for research, education
and commerce from the competing approaches to database property rights
protection. Confirmed speakers are:
- Prudence Adler, Assistant Executive Director, Association of
Research Libraries
- Dan Duncan, Vice President, Software and Information Industry
Association
- Jose-Marie Griffiths, Professor and Chief Information Officer,
University of Michigan
- Jonathan Band, Attorney, Morrison & Foerster, and representing
American Committee for Interoperable Systems
- Dorothy Schrader, Senior Specialist, American Law Division, CRS
(retired)
After their presentations, the speakers will entertain questions
from Members and the audience.
