PREPARED STATEMENT OF ROBERT GEHRKE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRAINING MEDIA ASSOCIATION AND JOHN M. EVANS, PRESIDENT, INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SYSTEMS CORP.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE:

MY NAME IS ROBERT GEHRKE.

I AM THE EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF THE TRAINING MEDIA ASSOCIATION.

A GROUP

OF MORE THAN 60 COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE, MARKET AND

DISTRIBUTE TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS,

PRIMARILY ON VIDEOTAPE.

JOINING ME THIS MORNING IS ONE OF OUR MEMBERS,

JOHN M. EVANS, PRESIDENT OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING

SYSTEMS CORPORATION.

WE BELIEVE PASSAGE OF HR 671 WOULD BE THE MOST

IMPORTANT STEP CONGRESS COULD TAKE THIS YEAR TO

PROMOTE INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION BY AMERICA'S SMALL

BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO CREATE COPYRIGHTED

WE ARE JOINED IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 671 BY THE

WE WISH TO SUBMIT AN UPDATED LIST OF SUPPORTERS FOR

THE RECORD.

MR. CHAIRMAN, SMALL BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUAL

COPYRIGHT OWNERS MAKE A SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE

U.S. ECONOMY BY HELPING TO MEET THE DOMESTIC AND

GLOBAL DEMAND FOR PRODUCTS OF THE AMERICAN MIND.

TRAINING MEDIA COMPANIES PRODUCE EDUCATIONAL AND

TRAINING TAPES IN SUCH AREAS AS PUBLIC HEALTH AND

SAFETY, MANAGEMENT, CUSTOMER RELATIONS, INDUSTRIAL

SKILLS AND THE LIKE. OUR PRODUCTS CONTRIBUTE TO

IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY AND A SAFER WORKPLACE.

MOST TRAINING MEDIA COMPANIES ARE "SMALL

BUSINESSES". THE MEDIAN TMA MEMBER COMPANY HAS

GROSS ANNUAL SALES OF ABOUT $1.6 MILLION, AND HAS 15

TAPES MAY HAVE A RETAIL PRICE OF $300 To $500 OR

MORE.

EACH COPY THAT WE LICENSE MAY, IN TURN,

BE

USED TO TRAIN DOZENS, EVEN THOUSANDS, OF EMPLOYEES,

BUT ALL OUR EFFORTS HAVE BARELY MADE A DENT.

THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE THE LAW MUST BE STRENGTHENED

TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL DETERRENT

PARTICULARLY

WHERE THE VICTIM OF THE INFRINGEMENT IS A "LITTLE

GUY" FROM WHOM THE TYPICAL INFRINGER, NORMALLY A

MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN NOW TO JOHN

EVANS TO COMPLETE OUR PRESENTATION.