Political Quotes

“as the lead sponsor of H.R. 2511 I am proud that this House is taking a decisive step to make it tougher for product counterfeiters to prey on American business and American consumers and cost American workers their jobs. Counterfeit products cost U.S. businesses an estimated $200 billion annually. An estimated 5 percent of products sold worldwide are phony. Fortune Magazine has called it the crime of the 21st century. That is because counterfeiting is a highly lucrative, but relatively low-risk crime with only hand-slap penalties if caught. New technology has made it much easier for counterfeiters to pursue their trade. Computers and digital technology have made it a cinch to copy audiotapes, video, and software, and unlike analog copies, the thousandth digital copy is just as clean and clear as the first. Scanners and laser printers have made it easy to replicate labels, logos, and even the holograms that software producers afix to their products to prove authenticity. For years we have overlooked counterfeiters, assuming that product counterfeiting meant $2 fake watches and was a victimless crime. But the evidence is mounting that counterfeiting is a very dangerous crime that can threaten the health and safety of us all. Last year the Federal Aviation Administration grounded 6,000 piston-powered aircraft to check for phoney crankshaft bolts that could cause crashes.”