At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Summit, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Thursday announced the “Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2005″. The act is designed to strengthen penalties for repeat copyright criminals, expand criminal intellectual property protection and add investigative tools to boost enforcement.

The proposed act would enhance the Justice Department’s ability to pursue people who violate the intellectual property rights. The Act includes provisions to:

• Force forfeiture of property, including illicit proceeds, derived from or used in the commission of criminal intellectual property offenses;
• Criminalize intellectual property theft motivated by any type of commercial advantage or private financial gain; and
• Strengthen restitution provisions for victim companies and rights holders in order to maximize protection for those who suffer most from these crimes.