Proposed legislation to curb foreign piracy and counterfeiting

While the PDQ bill of Berman and Boucher promises to weaken the position of patentees WITHIN the US, there is a different feeling as to threats from abroad:

Manufacturers need a more focused defense from the government in the battle over intellectual property theft, two senators said, citing the billions of dollars in losses from piracy and counterfeiting.

Sens. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and George Voinovich, R-Ohio, outlined new legislation that would target the loss of intellectual property theft, replacing the current system that involves nine different agencies working on the issue. Taking a cue from the international approach to combat money laundering, it would also try to partner with other countries to help companies remain competitive. [from AP]