Boehner interjected on piracy bill

BALTIMORE — House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to shelve the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) halted work on the controversial bill Friday after mass protests on the Web swelled opposition on Capitol Hill. 

Asked Friday whether he was behind Smith’s decision, the Speaker said: “I suggested to him that it’s time to build more consensus. … He agreed.”

Smith had vowed to press on with the legislation despite the mounting opposition. On Tuesday, he dismissed the online protests as a “gimmick” and promised to resume the mark-up of SOPA in February.

{mosads}As late as Thursday afternoon, Smith told The Hill that he was still attempting to build support for SOPA. But less than 24 hours later, his office issued a statement announcing he would “postpone consideration of the legislation until there is wider agreement on a solution.”

Boehner said Smith needs to find consensus on his committee before moving ahead. 

“This proposal, while well-meaning, has some difficulties, and I expect the chairman, like any chairman, to build more consensus before trying to move this bill out of the committee,” Boehner said.

Boehner made the remarks at a press conference on the second day of a weekend retreat with fellow House Republicans in Baltimore.

The anti-piracy measure championed by Smith drew staunch opposition from tech companies, and from fellow Republicans such as Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). 

The Senate version of the piracy bill, the Protect IP Act, also came under fire, leading Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to cancel a vote on it that had been scheduled for next week.