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Chairman Leahy Announces “Tentative Agreement in Principle” on Patent Reform Bill

    By
Donald Zuhn —

Leahy, Patrick During
an Executive Business Meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee held earlier
today, Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) informed attendees and online viewers
that the Committee had reached a "tentative agreement in principle"
regarding patent reform legislation. 
Chairman Leahy (at right) noted that the agreement preserves the "core of the
compromise" struck in Committee last spring that permitted the Senate bill
(S. 515) to be voted out of Committee (see
"Senate 'Patent Reform' Bill (S. 515) Voted out of Judiciary Committee").

In
a meeting that was somewhat shortened by the President's Bipartisan Meeting on
Health Reform, Chairman Leahy thanked Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the
Committee's Ranking Member, for working with him on the patent reform bill,
which Chairman Leahy called "a top priority" of the Committee.  He also thanked Senators Dianne
Feinstein (D-CA), Arlen Spector (D-PA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Amy Klobuchar
(D-MN), and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) for their efforts in moving the legislation
forward.  In addition, Chairman Leahy noted that
the Committee had, at the suggestion of Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ), consulted with
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and USPTO Director David Kappos in revising the legislation.

Senate Seal Chairman
Leahy noted that the Committee would release details regarding the bill
"in the coming days" and after consultation with House
legislators.  He mentioned that he
had been meeting with members of the House majority and minority leadership to
discuss the Senate bill in an effort to prevent the legislation from becoming a
"partisan issue." 
Chairman Leahy then conceded the floor to Senator Sessions, who called
the Senate bill a "step forward."  Senator Sessions said he thought the Committee had addressed
all of the "problems," and was "pretty close to having it
right."  He added that he
looked forward "to doing something significant in a bipartisan way."

In
a press release posted on Chairman Leahy's website,
a transcript of the Chairman's remarks regarding patent reform at today's meeting was provided.

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3 responses to “Chairman Leahy Announces “Tentative Agreement in Principle” on Patent Reform Bill”

  1. EG Avatar
    EG

    Don,
    If this current version of S.515 addresses only the issues present in the prior version of this bill (which I suspect it does), it’s still not “patent reform” or even close. And with the current debacle in the pending health care legislation, I don’t trust Congress one iota to get “patent reform” anywhere near where it should be. Another American innovation and job killer in the making.

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  2. staff Avatar
    staff

    “Leahy then conceded the floor to Senator Sessions, who called the Senate bill a “step forward.”
    In a pig’s eye!!
    Patent reform is a fraud on America. It is patently un-American.
    Please see http://truereform.piausa.org/ for a different/opposing view on patent reform.

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  3. Michael V Caldwell Avatar
    Michael V Caldwell

    THINKING OUT OF THE BOX FOR AMERICA & OUR WORLD
    Just Stopping By To Say Thank You, For Your Dedicated Hard Work.
    TEAM UP AMERICA Using Ameri-Can Do Attitudes Works Very Well.
    (Always Striving To Be Part Of The Solution In A Positive Respectful Manner)
    Thank You, Don & Everyone, Respectfully, Michael V Caldwell

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