ABA Backs Bayh-Voinovich IP Legislation
An intellectual property enforcement bill championed by Sens. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and George Voinovich, R-Ohio, has earned the support of the American Bar Association. The chair of the 400,000 member organization's IP contingent wrote to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy and ranking member Arlen Specter on Tuesday calling the bill "a laudable attempt" to deficiencies in current anti-counterfeiting and piracy efforts.
Bayh and Voinovich's bill, which is aimed at helping the United States work with other countries to identify and track IP criminals, would create a planning and coordinating body with high-level representation by federal agencies with IP responsibilities. It would be headed by an Office of Management and Budget official. The ABA said the plan was "a constructive approach to avoiding interagency rivalry by creating a true coordinating body not situated in any of the constituent IP enforcement agencies."
Leahy has offered his own IP bill with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and is planning on introducing follow-up legislation in the near-term, sources said. Meanwhile, staffers for Bayh and Voinovich have been working with the Judiciary Committee to try to incorporate some of their senators' proposals in the legislation that will eventually be put up for a vote by the committee before it moves to the full Senate.
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