Conyers-Smith Bill Protects Intellectual Property

Conyers-Smith Bill Protects Intellectual Property

A bipartisan group of House Judiciary Committee members today introduced legislation to strengthen laws protecting creative and intellectual property, improve federal agency enforcement efforts and provide additional resources to law enforcement officials.

Co-sponsored by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property ("PRO IP") Act of 2007 provides law enforcement officials and federal agencies with additional tools to combat the counterfeiting and pirating of intellectual property. Additional House Judiciary Committee cosponsors include Subcommittee on Intellectual Property Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), Representatives Steve Chabot (R-OH), Tom Feeney (R-FL), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Ric Keller (R-FL), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).

"Protecting intellectual property, such as trademarks and copyrights, is critical to preserving a strong American economy," stated Ranking Member Smith. "Counterfeiting and pirating intellectual property costs American jobs, reduces American prosperity and threatens the existence of American companies. By protecting intellectual property, this bill preserves American jobs, encourages innovation and helps build a strong American economy."

"This legislation is an important and necessary step in the fight to maintain our competitive edge in a global marketplace," Chairman Conyers said. "By providing additional resources for enforcement of intellectual property, we ensure that innovation and creativity will continue to prosper in our society."

American intellectual property industries account for over half of all U.S. exports, represent 40 percent of the country's economic growth and employ 18 million Americans.

The global economic cost of counterfeiting and piracy is estimated at nearly $600 billion per year in lost sales. That is approximately five to seven percent of global trade. The cost of counterfeiting and piracy to the U.S. economy is estimated to be between $200 and $250 billion per year in lost sales and nearly 750,000 jobs.

The healthcare industry also faces an increasing problem. According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of counterfeit pharmaceuticals ranges from less than one percent in developed countries to over 30 percent in developing countries. Over 50 percent of counterfeit pharmaceuticals are obtained from illicit websites. The Center for Medicine in the Public Interest estimates that counterfeit drug commerce will grow 13 percent annually through 2010, nearly twice the rate of legitimate pharmaceuticals.

"Counterfeiting and piracy not only pose serious threats to the American economy, but also to the American consumer," continued Smith. "When consumers are given unsafe drugs or unwittingly purchase counterfeit products, their lives are on the line. By strengthening laws against counterfeiting and piracy, this bill takes an important step towards protecting intellectual property and ensuring the safety of American consumers."

Specifically, the PRO IP bill:

· Strengthens the substantive civil and criminal laws relating to copyright and trademark infringement;

· Establishes the Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Representative (USIPER) to enhance nationwide and international coordination of intellectual property enforcement efforts;

· Provides for the appointment of intellectual property officers to work with foreign countries in their efforts to combat counterfeiting and piracy;

· Authorizes the creation of a permanent Intellectual Property Division within the Department of Justice to improve law enforcement coordination; and

· Gives the Justice Department additional resources to improve intellectual property law enforcement, including local law enforcement grants and additional investigative and prosecutorial personnel.

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