Washington - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on Wednesday introduced the International Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement Act of 2008, legislation intended to crack down on the theft of U.S. intellectual property around the world.

The bill would compel the U.S. Trade Representative to develop action plans for countries on the piracy "Priority Watch List," and empower the president with enforcement tools if corrective actions are not taken.

It would also ensure the placement of officials at foreign embassies tasked with enforcing American IP rights.

The bill would cover U.S. copyrights, trademarks and patents, including "the piracy of American films, the counterfeiting of American-designed products and other violations," according to a press release.

"Countless jobs here in America are born from the concepts, products and ideas of our people. So we can't let other countries repeatedly rip off the movies Americans make, the products Americans design and the other fruits of American ingenuity without taking some action," Sen. Baucus said in a statement.

"The Baucus-Hatch bill really seeks to stop the stealing of U.S. intellectual property before it happens, by pushing other countries to fight the problem wholesale, but if violations persist our bill also provides ways for a president to crack down."

The bill is expected to be referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/3p0sp (Hatch statement)

http://www.chamberpost.com/2008/09/baucus-hatch-ip.html

http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1733