AIPLA Applauds Approval of Patent Reform in House Committee

ARLINGTON, VA — The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) commends House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Tex) for shepherding patent reform legislation another step closer to enactment with the Committee’s strong approval of H.R. 1249.

At an all-day session on April 14, members of the Committee gave serious consideration to a variety of amendments to the bill and concluded with an overwhelming, bi-partisan vote of 32-3 in support of the long-overdue improvements to the patent law. The Committee proceeding demonstrated the careful balancing of interests and the compromises necessary to address the concerns of the diverse stakeholders. While more work is yet to be done, the Committee’s effort represents encouraging progress.

“It has been nearly 60 years since the patent law was subject to a comprehensive review, and this legislation when enacted will provide the incentives for creativity required for the 21st Century,” according to AIPLA President David Hill. AIPLA Executive Director Q. Todd Dickinson had the following comment: “In the end, enactment of the these momentous reforms will renew the patent law for the challenges of the global economy and provide a badly needed stimulus to job creation for the domestic economy.”