A new bill dealing with intelectual property theft, which includes patent and trademark infringement, counterfeiting and copyright crimes passed the Senate unanimously yesterday. The bill is sponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and ranking member Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

The new legislation will facilitate the president office’s actions for coordinating the enforcement measures of intellectual property rights all across the country in all the federal agencies and departments. It also approved additional funding for federal and local law enforcement for the fight against intellectual property theft.

"Intellectual property makes up some of the most valuable, and most vulnerable, property we have," Mr. Leahy said in a statement. "We need to do more to protect it from theft and abuse if we hope to continue being a world leader in innovation."
The decision was warmly received by the Copyright Alliance, which is a nonprofit group that bring together the Motion Picture Association of America, the Business Software Alliance, the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Association of Broadcasters. Its officials expressed their firm belief that the artists and creators in the United States will continue holding on to the number one spot in terms of creative works that enrich the country’s culture and drive its economy.

After heavy debates, the bill was stripped of a controversial measure that would have offered federal prosecutors the power to file civil lawsuits against peer-to-peer users who violate copyright laws.

Before it becomes a law, the bill still has to reach the House of Representatives and the President's desk, and only then if approved, will take full effect.