This Week in Washington IP: Anticipating Biden’s State of the Union Address, the USPTO Discusses IP Developments in China, and Evaluating the Importance of Metascience

This week in Washington IP news, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discusses U.S.-China relations after a tense weekend, a house committee holds a hearing on removing barriers to capital for small businesses, and the AEI talks to experts about the growing industry of metascience and its importance to U.S. innovation.

Monday, February 6

Brookings Institute

What to expect from Biden’s second State of the Union address

At 2:00 PM Monday, online video webinar

President Biden will give his second State of the Union Address on Tuesday, so Brookings is hosting a talk to discuss what we might hear during this speech. With mounting geopolitical and economic concerns, the Biden Administration has a lot on its plate and a variety of experts will walk through the most important points during this event.

Tuesday, February 7

House Committee on Financial Services

Combatting the Economic Threat from China

At 10:00 AM Tuesday in Room 2128 of the Rayburn House Office Building and available on video livestream

After the furor over a Chinese balloon over the United States, this hearing will discuss the perceived risks to the U.S. posed by Chinese economic and geopolitical growth. The committee will discuss potential legislation with the aim of mitigating these risks including investment screening, sanctions, investment policies and supervision, and export financing, among others.

Wednesday, February 8

House Subcommittee on Capital Markets

Empowering Entrepreneurs: Removing Barriers to Capital Access for Small Businesses

At 2:00 PM Wednesday in Room 2128 of the Rayburn House Office Building and available on video livestream

This subcommittee is holding this hearing to discuss a range of legislation seeking to address the barriers keeping small businesses and entrepreneurs from accessing capital. The bills range in scope from crowdfunding to government grants and seed funding. Four witnesses have been announced and additional witness testimony is expected.

Thursday, February 9

United States Patent and Trademark Office

China IP: Quarterly legislation and case law update

At 10:00 AM Thursday, online video webinar

The USPTO is hosting another quarterly update on recent developments in China’s IP landscape. The hosts will discuss recently enacted IP policies, legislation, regulations, and court decisions on key IP cases. Senior IP attorneys from the UPSTO will lead the event, and they will discuss a range of issues including patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, and IP enforcement.

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

U.S.-China policy in the era of strategic competition

At 10:30 AM Thursday at 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building and video livestream

U.S.-China relations have been once again thrust into the spotlight after Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled his planned trip to Beijing this week. The relationship has broad impacts across a wide range of industries and economic markets, and the Senate Committee will likely discuss developments surrounding the latest disagreement between the two countries over a balloon that flew across the United States.

American Enterprise Institute

Metascience for the Public: Policy Solutions to Flagging Productivity

At 1:00 PM Thursday, AEI Auditorium and online video webinar

Considering the growing importance of pandemic resilience and technology, the American Enterprise Institute is hosting this event to discuss what policies the government can adopt to improve scientific productivity. A panel of experts will discuss metascience, the growing field of research that studies how new methods of science can be implemented to improve the practice of science in order to reinvigorate U.S. innovation.

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