Brad Watts is Vice President, Innovation Policy. He works with U.S. Chamber members to foster a political, legal, and economic environment where innovators and creators can invest in the next big thing for the benefit of Americans and the world.
Prior to joining the Chamber he served as Minority Chief Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Intellectual Property. As Minority Chief Counsel, Mr. Watts was responsible for planning and implementing Ranking Member Thom Tillis and the Republican minority’s legislative portfolio on all aspects of intellectual property law. He previously served as Majority Chief Counsel and Staff Director for the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Intellectual Property in the 116th Congress under then Chairman Thom Tillis. As Majority Chief Counsel, Mr. Watts was responsible for planning and implementing then Chairman Tillis’ legislative and oversight agenda on all aspects of America’s innovation economy.
Innovation is the foundation of America’s ability to compete in a global economy, and the cornerstone of America’s foundation is our patent system. This is especially true when it comes to American leadership in life sciences. Yet, Washington is debating proposals, driven by political narratives, that will limit the availability of patents and that fail to consider the impact on innovation and American competitiveness. Our founding fathers inherently understood that entrepreneurship ran deep within the fabric of our country and that a system was needed to unlock its genius. Developed by our founding fathers, the patent system has evolved with the times and continues to set the global standard on supporting inventors of all stripes. Decisions made by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others continue to provide the legal certainty necessary for investors to support research and development.