Hartford Courant: Go Slow On Patent Reforms, by Warren Tuttle
This letter appeared in the Hartford Courant on May 28, 2014.
The writer is president of the United Inventors Association.
Over the past several months, I watched with concern as Congress seemed poised to advance legislation that would significantly alter the American patent system. The legislation’s swift passage in the House of Representatives late last year seemed to pave the way for similar rapid movement in the Senate.
Fortunately, Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy recently announced that consideration of patent legislation would be suspended while lawmakers decided upon an amenable way forward. This development should induce relief among all of Connecticut’s innovators. I am grateful for the leadership Sen. Richard Blumenthal has displayed throughout this process. His continued support of Connecticut’s innovators has been a source of encouragement, and his prudence has been instrumental in ensuring that policy-makers listen to all stakeholders before proceeding.
Should Congress decide to revisit this legislation, I encourage them to focus on targeting abusive patent practices that most everyone can agree must be addressed and to create an open process that includes members from the inventor and patent holder community. For now, I am thankful that we have preserved an American patent system that continues to encourage innovation and promote economic growth.