Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property

The Under Secretary for Intellectual Property, within the United States Department of Commerce, is the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The Under Secretary for Intellectual Property is the lead advisor to the Secretary of Commerce and the President of the United States on intellectual property matters.^[1]

David Kappos (right) being sworn in as Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director, by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, as Kappos's wife, Leslie, holds the bible, August 13, 2009

The position of Under Secretary and Director of the United States Patent Office (USPTO) was created by the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on November 29, 1999. It was effective January 17, 2001 with an executive order from the Secretary of Commerce. The executive order abolished the position's predecessor, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks. The Act mandated the creation of the Deputy Under Secretary and Deputy Director, who assists the Under Secretary, as well as other aspects of the reorganization of the office as a federal agency.^[2][3]

The Under Secretary is responsible for administering laws relevant to granting patents and trademarks, and for the day-to-day management of the agency's $1.7 billion budget and more than 8,000 employees.^[1] The Under Secretary is also obligated to conduct programs and studies regarding intellectual property, and to conduct cooperative programs with other foreign intellectual property offices. The Under Secretary is appointed by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate.^[2] The current Under Secretary is David J. Kappos, who was sworn in on August 13, 2009 following the United States Senate's confirmation of his appointment by President Barack Obama. Before David Kappos, the acting Under Secretary was John Doll, who replaced Jon Dudas when he resigned on January 20, 2009. Dudas had been appointed by President George W. Bush in July 2004, and had served as acting Under Secretary since 2002.^[1] Previous Under Secretaries include Q. Todd Dickinson and James E. Rogan.^[4][5]

See also

• List of persons who have headed the United States Patent Office

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Executive Bio print - Dudas". Archived from the original on August 19, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070819134950/http://www.uspto.gov/biographies/bio_dudas.htm. Retrieved September 16, 2007. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Department Organization Order 10-14". Archived from the original on April 5, 2003. http://web.archive.org/web/20030405134038/http://www.osec.doc.gov/bmi/doo10-14.htm. Retrieved September 16, 2007. 
3. ^ "US CODE: Title 35,3. Officers and employees". http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode35/usc_sec_35_00000003----000-.html. Retrieved September 16, 2007. 
4. ^ "Testimony of Q. Todd Dickinson". Archived from the original on August 30, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070830014125/http://judiciary.senate.gov/testimony.cfm?id=1582&wit_id=4548. Retrieved September 27, 2007. 
5. ^ "Office of the Director". Archived from the original on December 17, 2001. http://web.archive.org/web/20011217102804/http://www.uspto.gov/web/menu/comm.html. Retrieved September 27, 2007.