FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 1997 CONTACT: Richard Maulsby Lisa-Joy Zgorski (703)305-8341 PTO 97-9 HOUSE PASSES BILL TO REINVENT PATENT SYSTEM USPTO TO MAKE GREAT STRIDES FORWARD ARLINGTON, VA -- The U.S. House of Representatives last evening passed, H.R. 400, the 21st Century Patent Systems Reform Act. "These reforms will help America maintain its competitve advantage by ensuring it remains a world leader in technology," said Commerce Secretary William M. Daley. "This is great news for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office," announces Bruce A. Lehman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, "we are one step closer to becoming a performance-based organization and that will be even better news for our customers--American innovators, who, with intellectual property protection for their inventions, make America strong and competitive. It is my hope that the affected provisions in H.R. 400, which was unanimously reported out of the Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and the Courts, will be restored as Senator Hatch shepherds the Senate version of the bill to final passage. The Administration will seek further improvements as the legislation continues through the legislative process." ###