Today, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue delivered his annual State of American Business address, which highlighted the challenges and priorities facing the business community in 2012. In particular, Donohue looked to intellectual property (IP) rights and the pending rogue sites bills as vehicles for maintaining American competitiveness.

“To grow our economy and create jobs, we also need to maintain and advance our leadership as the most innovative economy and people on earth. We still are number one, but we are in danger of losing that lead.” Donohue continued, “we can maintain America’s innovation edge by better protecting our intellectual property. Congress took an important step last year by passing long overdue patent reform legislation. This year, we are asking lawmakers to pass carefully-crafted legislation to crack down on foreign websites whose only purpose is to dupe consumers, steal American jobs, and pollute the vibrant internet marketplace.”

The Global IP Center and the Chamber are proud to be steadfast champions for IP rights holders of all kinds, large and small. We recognize that IP is not only a key to innovation, but also a critical driver of job creation and economic growth. In this tough economic climate, we must resist attempts to chop away at the intellectual property architecture that keeps businesses afloat, Americans employed, and consumers safe. This is precisely why we stand, along with hundreds of businesses and labor organizations, by both the PROTECT IP and Stop Online Piracy Acts.

Rogue sites legislation is just one instrument in the arsenal for protecting IP rights. Enforcement of existing IP laws, both online and in the real world, is an absolute necessity to maintaining the integrity of our copyrights, trademarks, and patents. We also must ensure that our trading partners adhere to and apply the highest of standards for IP protection.

The very essence of American business—our entrepreneurial spirit—is at risk if our intellectual property laws are rendered meaningless. Let’s not make innovation a thing of the past, let’s ensure it remains intact for a prosperous American future.