IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1208 

Supporting the goals of World Intellectual Property Day. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 23, 2010 

Mr. SMITH of Washington (for himself, Mrs. BONO MACK, and Mr. COBLE) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals of World Intellectual Property Day. 

Whereas intellectual property is the backbone of the economic 

competitiveness of the United States and the only economic sector in which the United States has a trade surplus with every nation in the world; 

Whereas well over 50 percent of United States exports now 

depend on some form of intellectual property, compared 

to less than 10 percent 50 years ago; 

Whereas intangible assets that stem from intellectual property, such as high-value services, global branding, technological know-how, and scientific research, must be recognized as cornerstones in achieving economic recovery and 

creating jobs; 


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Whereas intellectual property assets today represent more 

than one third of the value of United States-based corporations and more than 17 percent of the gross domestic product of the United States; 

Whereas intellectual property plays a significant role in an increasingly broad range of services, ranging from the 

Internet to health care to nearly all aspects of science 

and technology and literature and the arts, and the potential for innovation and invention must be fostered as 

its greatest attribute; 

Whereas the United States and all countries share the challenge of combating piracy and counterfeiting of intellectual property, including illicit trade in life-saving drugs, 

cutting edge technologies, film, music, books, and inventions that affect the quality of life; 

Whereas the piracy and counterfeiting of intellectual property 

have a significant impact on economies around the world, 

translate into lost jobs, lost earnings, and lost tax revenues, and threaten public health and safety; 

Whereas the World Intellectual Property Organization, with 

184 member states, is the primary organization in the 

world focused on the development and protection of intellectual property rights for all creators and all countries; 

Whereas World Intellectual Property Day provides an opportunity to reflect on how intellectual property touches all 

aspects of people’s lives, how copyright helps music to be 

heard and art, films, and literature to be seen, how industrial design helps shape the world in which people live, 

how trademarks provide reliable signs of quality, and how 

patenting helps promote ingenious inventions that make 


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life easier, faster, safer, and sometimes completely 

changes the way people live; 

Whereas the theme of 2010 World Intellectual Property Day 

is ‘‘Innovation-Linking the World’’, and presents an opportunity to champion the role of intellectual property 

rights in providing incentives for the development of the 

innovative solutions needed to meet today’s global challenges while creating jobs and stimulating the United 

States economy; 

Whereas April 26, 1970, was the date on which the Convention establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization entered into force; 

Whereas, in 2000, member states of the World Intellectual 

Property Organization established World Intellectual 

Property Day to celebrate the contribution made by 

innovators and artists to the development and growth of 

societies across the globe and to highlight the importance 

and practical use of intellectual property in everyone’s 

daily lives; and 

Whereas April 26, 2010, has been designated as World Intellectual Property Day, a time to celebrate the importance 

of intellectual property to the United States and the 

world: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals of World Intellectual 

3 Property Day to promote, inform, and teach the im4 portance of intellectual property as a tool for eco5 nomic, social, and cultural development; 

6 (2) recognizes the ever-increasing importance of 

7 intellectual property and the new challenges and seVerDate Nov 24 2008 00:20 Mar 24, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR1208.IH HR1208

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1 rious threats to its protection, which affect prospects 

2 for future growth of the United States economy; 

3 (3) supports robust and ongoing efforts to pro4 tect the health and well-being of citizens in the 

5 United States from fraudulent and illegal counter6 feiting and piracy; 

7 (4) congratulates the World Intellectual Prop8 erty Organization for building awareness of the 

9 value of intellectual property and developing the nec10 essary infrastructure to help citizens take full advan11 tage of their own creativity; and 

12 (5) applauds the ongoing contributions of 

13 human creativity and intellectual property to growth 

14 and innovation and for the key role they play in pro15 moting and ensuring a brighter and stronger future 

16 for the United States and the world. 

Æ 


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