Chairman Leahy Announces "Tentative Agreement in Principle" on Patent Reform Bill

    By Donald Zuhn --

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.

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.

Comments

[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.

[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.

[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