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House Speaker Dennis Hastert visits with
the DGA PAC Leadership Council
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Click photos for larger view and details
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On August 21 the DGA PAC Leadership Council hosted an intimate lunch with one of the most powerful members of Congress — House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R.-Ill.) — to discuss a number of issues of great importance to directors, such as runaway film and television production, copyright protection and Internet piracy. Speaker Hastert's visit offered 23 of the Guild's members a unique opportunity to voice their concerns and share their perspective on these issues.
First and foremost, the meeting focused on the Guild's concerns with runaway production and most specifically on the federal legislation H.R. 3131, "The United States Independent Film and Television Production Incentive Act of 2001." Congresswoman Mary Bono (R.-Calif.), an original co-sponsor of the bill, and Congressman David Dreier (R.-Calif.), the bill's author, also were in attendance. During the meeting Speaker Hastert made clear his own recognition of the problem and his willingness to work with the Guild. On the issue of piracy and copyright protection, he expressed his sentiment that copyright laws should be respected.
DGA members attending included Paris Barclay, Warren Beatty, Burt Bluestein, Hart Bochner, Bob Butler, Thomas Carter, Taylor Hackford, Charles Haid, Curtis Hanson, Kevin Hooks, Barnet Kellman, Demian Lichtenstein, Robert Markowitz, Sydney Pollack, Rob Reiner, Ivan Reitman, John Rich, Michael Robin, Thomas Schlamme, Jack Shea, Jon Turteltaub, Lili Zanuck as well as DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth.
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