Intellectual Property Enhanced Criminal Enforcement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-3155
Sponsor: Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1]
Introduced: 2007-07-24 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Americans in foreign countries
Arts, Culture, Religion
Business records
China
Compensation for victims of crime
Computer crimes
Confidential communications
Conspiracy
Copyright
Counterfeiting
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal investigation
Damages
Department of Justice
Discovery (Law)
East Asia
Europe
Executive reorganization
Export controls
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal advisory bodies
Federal law enforcement officers
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Forfeiture
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Hong Kong
Hungary
Identification devices
Import restrictions
Information technology
Injunctions
Intellectual property
International Affairs
International cooperation
Internet
Labeling
Labor and Employment
Larceny
Law
Motion pictures
Music
Packaging
Police training
Prosecution
Public prosecutors
Recruiting of employees
Science, Technology, Communications
Sound recording and reproducing
Video tape recording

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-24
text: 
Intellectual Property Enhanced Criminal Enforcement Act of 2007 - Makes copyright registration requirements applicable to only civil (not criminal) copyright infringement actions. 

Authorizes the court, in civil copyright infringement actions, to: (1) order the impounding of records documenting the manufacture, sale, or receipt of items; and (2) determine that parts of a compilation or derivative work constitute separate works in assessing statutory damages.

Establishes criminal violations for any attempt or conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement, with the same penalties as prescribed for the offense.

Deems the unauthorized importation or exportation of copies or phonorecords to be an infringement of the exclusive right to distribute, in certain circumstances.

Includes within the definition of &quot;traffic in,&quot; for copyright infringement purposes, to import, export, or possess with intent to transport, transfer, or otherwise dispose of.

Increases the penalties for criminal copyright offenses, including: (1) criminal copyright infringement; (2) unauthorized recording of a motion picture; and (3) trafficking in counterfeit goods or services.

Provides for forfeiture of any property constituting or derived from proceeds of civil copyright infringement. Requires the court to order restitution for victims of criminal copyright infringement.

Directs the Attorney General to: (1) create an operational unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assist in the investigation and coordination of intellectual property crimes; (2) implement a program to train FBI agents in the investigation and prosecution of such crimes; (3) assign federal prosecutors to Department of Justice (DOJ) offices in Hong Kong and Budapest to coordinate international enforcement of intellectual property laws; and (4) create a task force to implement a plan to investigate and prosecute international organized crime syndicates involved in theft of intellectual property.

Authorizes additional funding through FY2011 to investigate and prosecute criminal activity involving computers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2007-08-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.
action_date: 2007-07-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-07-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-07-24
text: Introduced in House