Innovation Alliance Statement on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet USPTO Oversight Hearing
WASHINGTON – Innovation Alliance Executive Director Brian Pomper released the following statement regarding today’s hearing in the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet hearing on “The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: The America Invents Act and Beyond, Domestic and International Policy Goals”:
“Today’s hearing underscored the vital work the USPTO performs in maintaining America’s role as a global innovation leader. The Innovation Alliance supports a permanent end to the so-called ‘tax on innovation,’ i.e. the diversion of patent user fees to other purposes, which has taken more than $1.2 billion from the USPTO in recent years. We thank the Subcommittee for fostering this important conversation and look forward to continuing the discussion to ensure the USPTO’s 200 year old critical role in enabling U.S. innovation and job growth is supported through full funding.
“Like Deputy Director Lee, the Innovation Alliance supports legislation that will appropriately target abusive litigation practices while balancing and preserving the rights of patent holders. Although The Innovation Act did not achieve that critical balance, the Innovation Alliance will continue to work with the patent-holding community and Congress to find measures that will address abusive litigation while preserving the health of the innovation ecosystem upon which the future of our economy and so many U.S. jobs depend.”
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Contact: Jaime Horn, 202-827-7859, jaime@blueenginemedia.com