IP Act Introduced in Senate
Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D–Vt.) and a group of bipartisan senators introduced the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011 (PROTECT IP Act, for short) on May 12.
The act, which targets rogue websites selling counterfeit products, is a follow-up to the Combating Online Infringement & Counterfeits Act. It was introduced in 2010 and passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in November but never received a full vote on the Senate floor.
“This legislation will protect the investment American companies make in developing brands and creating content and will protect the jobs associated with those investments,’’ Leahy said. “The Protect IP Act targets the most egregious actors and is an important first step to putting a stop to online piracy and sale of counterfeit goods.”
The move was praised by the American Apparel & Footwear Association.—Erin Barajas
