The MI2N press release, Valenti Offers Specific Recommendations To Congress On Ways To Equip Federal Government With Resources To Fight Worldwide Piracy, is dated May 2, but the hearing appears to have been on April 29 before the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on

Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary. Links to the testimony, from the usual suspects:

• Commerce-Justice-State Subcommittee Hearing on Intellectual Property: Opening Statement of Full Committee Chairman Ted Stevens

• Commerce-Justice-State Subcommittee Hearing on Intellectual Property: Testimony of Jack Valenti, CEO, Motion Picture Association

• Commerce-Justice-State Subcommittee Hearing on Intellectual Property: Testimony of Doug Lowenstein, President, Entertainment Software Alliance

• Commerce-Justice-State Subcommittee Hearing on Intellectual Property: Testimony of Robert Holleyman, CEO, Business Software Alliance

• Copmmerce-Justice-State Subcommittee Hearing on Intellectual Property: Testimony of Mitch Bainwol, CEO, Recording Industry Association of America

• Commerce-Justice-State Subcommittee Hearing on Intellectual Property: Opening Statement of Subcommittee Chairman Judd Gregg

The thrust? More money is needed for our government agencies to protect these industries from IP theft — it’s more than the industry can afford to pay. Granted, the main point of this testimony seems to be directed at true piracy, but there’s an undercurrent here that shows where the rhetoric is going. In particular, the tying of piracy to terrorism is a recurrent theme in the testimony above. (Missed the link at Current Copyright Readings)