This is an important issue for genealogists. go to the house of rep (federal) website for info on HR 3261 and get people to flood your senators and reps that you are opposed to this proposed legislation. >From my understanding it will give corporations the power to copyright FACTS in their databases. As you know FACTS are public information and only intelectual material should be copywritten. The result would be that if you submit info to a Corp. and they put it in their database they then own the copyright -- you will have to pay or get permission from them to use your own information. Michael Clouse - Sanilac Co. Gen. Society (Michigan) Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 10:24 PM Subject: MGC - copyright legislation Please contact your senators and representative regarding copyright legislation Let them know who you are, why you are concerned, what action do you wish them to take, and that you appreciate their efforts regarding this matter. The following is a resolution prepared by George Montgomery - Waterford Study Group. Please correspond with your senators and specific representative immediately. You should use the above helps to put your message in your own words. Contact George Montgomery at gfmonty@aol.com if you need email addresses to contact legislators TO: All members of the 108th Congress from Michigan FROM: Michigan Genealogical Council DATE: May 14, 2004 ================================================== RESOLUTION ON COPYRIGHT LEGISLATION Whereas searching for our roots has become a leading national activity; and Whereas access to on-line databases containing genealogical data has facilitated the search for ancestors; and Whereas HR 3261, the "Database and Collections of Information Misappropriation Act," threatens to obstruct access to and sharing of such data by extending copyright protection to facts; and Whereas the Michigan Genealogical Council believes that facts are not intellectual property and therefore should not be copyrighted; and Whereas the House Energy and Commerce Committee alternate legislation (HR 3872) deals with abuse of commercial, non-creative databases without extending copyright protection to facts; now therefore be it Resolved by the delegate body of the Michigan Genealogical Council that Congress be advised that we oppose enactment of HR 3261; and be it further Resolved that if Congress determines that additional legislation is required, that we respectfully request that they enact less restrictive provisions such as those proposed in HR 3872; and be it finally Resolved that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to all members representing Michigan in the 108th Congress. Adopted unanimously at Lansing MI on Thursday, May 13, 2004.