Gutierrez: IP Czar Puts Issue 'Front-And-Center'
Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez appears to have reversed course on his opposition to the newly created intellectual property enforcement coordinator position within the White House. In an interview with CongressDaily this week, the former Kellog Co. chairman said the change "puts IP rights front-and-center [and] will make it a priority for the White House and not just for Commerce" where a similar post had been housed. Intellectual property enforcement is "such an important part of our future, we want it to cut across agencies," he said.
Language to establish the IP coordinator post was included in a broader bill sponsored by Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and ranking member Arlen Specter but the Commerce and Justice departments panned the idea as the legislation moved through Congress. President Bush signed the measure last month, which also authorizes new grants for state and local law enforcement and beefs up prosecutorial resources. As recently as October, Gutierrez's general counsel and a principal assistant attorney general called the bill a "legislative intrusion" and warned the change could "pose significant and unnecessary challenges."
Read more about the Gutierrez interview here.
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