<P> The authors of the report believed that extending copyright protection would help the United States by providing more protection for their works in foreign countries and by giving more incentive to digitize and preserve works since there was an exclusive right in them . The report also included minority opinions by Herb Kohl and Hank Brown, who believed that the term extensions were a financial windfall to current owners of copyrighted material at the expense of the public's use of the material . </P> <P> Since 1990, The Walt Disney Company had lobbied for copyright extension . The legalisation delayed the entry into the public domain of the earliest Mickey Mouse movies, leading detractors to the nickname "The Mickey Mouse Protection Act". </P> <P> In addition to Disney, California congresswoman Mary Bono (Sonny Bono's widow and Congressional successor), and the estate of composer George Gershwin supported the act . Mary Bono, speaking on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, said: </P> <P> Actually, Sonny wanted the term of copyright protection to last forever . I am informed by staff that such a change would violate the Constitution...As you know, there is also (then - MPAA president) Jack Valenti's proposal for term to last forever less one day . Perhaps the Committee may look at that next Congress . </P>

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