The House subcommittee on courts and intellectual property held a hearing on the Collections of Information Antipiracy Act, which would give database owners new protections for the public facts they compile and resell. Opponents say the bill is "a radical departure from the current intellectual property framework that protects expression, not investment." Supporters of the bill argue that without such a law, market instability will only grow due to a combined fear of unfair competition and widespread piracy.