The House Judiciary Committee plans to abolish its Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.  Instead all IP issues will be taken up directly by the full committee.  The IP Subcommittee had been chaired by Rep. Howard Berman, but Berman will be giving up his chairmanship of the subcommittee to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  The Judiciary Committee is chaired by John Conyers.  Rep. Lamar Smith is the ranking member.  Both are expected to continue these roles in the upcoming Congress.  With no clear heir apparent to take over the Subcommittee and the Subcommittee growing to a size almost as large as the full Committee this move seems appropriate.  Only time will tell whether IP issues get the full attention of the full committee or get pushed aside as more significant issues arise.