Marathon markup sessions in December have revealed deep fissures among Republicans on a bill championed by House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) that is designed to combat Internet piracy.

The issue cuts across party lines as well.

A top Republican warned that the legislation threatens the very future of the Internet. Other GOP Members said it could cripple cybersecurity efforts. Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren (Calif.) was so enraged that she used a procedural move to force a committee aide to read the full text of the bill.

Smith, however, ceded nothing to critics.

“The criticism of this bill is completely hypothetical; none of it is based in reality. Not one of the critics was able to point to any language in the bill that would in any way harm the Internet. Their accusations are simply not supported by any facts,” Smith said in a statement.