U.S. Chamber praises creation of IP post at Commerce

U.S. Chamber praises creation of IP post at Commerce    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is praising President Bush's decision to create a new position in the Commerce Department to oversee the protection of intellectual property rights.
   Bush last week named Chris Israel as the first International Intellectual Property Coordinator at the Commerce Department. The new post is part of the Bush administration's expanded anti-counterfeiting initiatives, including the Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) program.
   'The Chamber has made combating counterfeiting and piracy a top priority and is leading the business community's Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy,' said Thomas Donohue, the president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Chamber. 'Having a presidentially appointed coordinator at a high level will greatly benefit the combined efforts of government and business in this fight.'
   Israel will work to coordinate the efforts among agencies that include not only the Commerce Department, but the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department, the State Department, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
   Israel had been serving as deputy chief of staff to the Commerce secretary and previously served as deputy assistant secretary for technology policy.