On February 28th, 2023, the Council for Innovation Promotion and nearly 50 other pro-innovation organizations co-sponsored a Welcome Reception for the 118th Congress, featuring the Creative Rights Caucus.
Distinguished guests included Representatives Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), and actor Harry Hamlin.
House Co-Chairs of the Creative Rights Caucus — Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA) and Drew Ferguson (R-GA) — offered remarks at the reception.
(L-R) Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ruth Vitale (Creative Future), Harry Hamlin (Actor)
Rep. Ferguson reflected on the strength of America’s creative industries, particularly within his state of Georgia, stating that “whether it is in entertainment, manufacturing, or pharmaceuticals, one thing that America does better than anything else is create, invent, and deliver a product.” He encouraged his colleagues to do more to safeguard these innovative industries and declared plainly, “It is just wrong not to protect intellectual property . . . whether you’re writing a script for a TV show or a song for a musician, all of this has to be protected.”
Creative Rights Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA)
Rep. Chu emphasized her and her colleagues’ role in fostering American innovation, stating that “creative artists rely on Congress to protect them.” Rep. Chu also discussed how creatives support every state’s economy, primarily via blue-collar jobs, and that they “rely on copyright protections to ensure they are compensated for their work.”
Thank you, @CreativeFuture, for inviting the Creative Rights Caucus and me to today’s convening!
I founded the CRC to educate Congress and the public on the creative industry. The 9.6M workers in core copyright industries rely on Congress to protect creations at home and abroad. pic.twitter.com/zSOn3kwK6K
— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) February 28, 2023
The event, which drew nearly 200 attendees, underscored the depth of bipartisan support for a strong and reliable intellectual property system. C4IP stands as a trusted resource — and partner — to the Creative Rights Caucus as lawmakers work together to advance policies that prioritize U.S. creative industries and copyright protections in the 118th Congress.
C4IP Executive Director Frank Cullen (right)
