Source:   Press Release, 1/7/11

Starting his 14th term in the U.S. House, Congressman Howard Coble (R-NC) has been named as Chairman of the newly-created Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law.  Because of his longtime work in the field of copyrights, patents and trademarks, Rep. Coble has been given the rare honor of also being named as Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet.

“I thank Chairman Lamar Smith for appointing me to be Chairman of the Courts subcommittee and to be Vice Chairman of the Intellectual Property panel,” Rep. Coble noted.  “As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, I have enjoyed working with our federal judiciary as a prosecutor and now as a legislator.  Also, having served as Chairman of the Intellectual Property subcommittee in the past, I have developed some wonderful relationships with many in the IP world.  I look forward to working on issues affecting both areas in the 112th Congress.”

The Courts subcommittee’s jurisdiction includes administration of U.S. Courts, federal rules of evidence, civil and appellate procedure, judicial ethics, bankruptcy and commercial law, bankruptcy judgeships, administrative law, independent counsel, state taxation affecting interstate commerce, interstate compacts, other appropriate matters as referred by the Chairman, and relevant oversight.   In the past Congressman Coble has chaired the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security along with the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.

During the 111th Congress, Rep. Coble served on the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.  For the 112th Congress, Courts and Commercial and Administrative Law are being combined into one panel.  

“Our Republican leaders have articulated three objectives for the upcoming Congress,” Rep. Coble noted, “namely job creation, national security, and enhancing freedom.  While our new subcommittee will have broad jurisdiction, we intend to focus our efforts on matters that will forward or advance these objectives.  Regulatory reform and tax reform proposals are likely hot topics.”

It is expected that the committee will not be fully organized for a couple of weeks.  Rep. Coble is also a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.   His subcommittee assignments there will be announced later.