Founding Fathers Knew Importance of Intellectual Property (Rep. Tom Feeney)

Our founding fathers understood the importance of innovation so well that they specifically provided strong protection for intellectual property in the Constitution itself.  Intellectual property piracy and counterfeiting undermine the creative spirit that drives our economy and constitute a threat to consumer health and safety, and this initiative will provide us with more tools to address this growing problem.

Studies show that the intellectual property industries are responsible for 40% of the growth achieved by all U.S. private industry.  With annual economic losses due to piracy and counterfeiting numbering billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of American jobs, Congress must tackle intellectual property theft to ensure that the U.S. remains a global power.