President Donald Trump Friday signaled his intention to nominate Vishal Amin to be the new Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator at the White House.
Amin is currently senior counsel on the House Judiciary Committee under chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.). Amin replaces Daniel Marti as coordinator.
Amin is also former associate director for domestic policy in the George W. Bush White House and was a special assistant at Commerce.
The White House IP czar post, which coordinates enforcement of intellectual property laws by various government agencies, was created by the Pro-IP Act.
The office is charged by Congress with protecting intellectual property and the rights of citizens, as well as with putting out three-year plans on how to do that, which are submitted to the House and Senate Judiciary and Appropriations Committees.
The most recent plan, issued under President Obama in December, was focused on large-scale infringement and piracy, rather than all instances where there might be infringement.
Recording Industry Association of America chairman Cary Sherman sounded pleased with the President's pick.
“The United States intellectual property industries are a vital economic engine for this country, contributing more than $1 trillion to the economy and hundreds of thousands of workers," Sherman said in a statement. "Music in particular is a cornerstone of modern culture and commerce, an essential component of any technology platform. The prompt appointment and consideration of this position is critical, and we commend President Trump for his choice. Vishal Amin is a smart, thoughtful leader and we look forward to working with him.”
