March 01, 2011

Press Release, 11-17

USPTO Applauds Adoption of Manager's Amendment to S. 23

Washington – Following the Senate vote in favor of adopting the Manager’s Amendment to S. 23, the America Invents Act of 2011, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) David Kappos issued the following statement.

“We commend Senators Leahy, Grassley and Kyl and applaud the Senate for adoption of the Manager’s Amendment to S.23, the America Invents Act of 2011. This is an important step toward enactment of patent reform legislation this Congress. Passage of this critical legislation will strengthen the USPTO and the U.S. patent system, and thereby speed the delivery of innovative goods and services to market.  Those goods and services build businesses and create jobs.

“We recognize that there will be further action in the Senate, and in the House of Representatives, before this legislation is passed. The Administration strongly supports adoption of a first inventor to file provision, which is one of the bill’s core tenets, and recommends against striking this central provision from the bill.  The Administration also supports USPTO fee-setting authority, and the ability of the USPTO to retain the fees it collects for use in performing the Agency’s mission."

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