Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
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The Under Secretary of Commerce 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.
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.
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 $1.3 billion budget and 7,000 employees. 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. The incumbent Under Secretary is Jon W. Dudas, who was appointed by President George W. Bush in July 2004. Dudas had served as acting Under Secretary since 2002. Q. Todd Dickinson was the first Under Secretary and Director.
