US Senate overwhelmingly passes historic America Invents Act

The US Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly - by a vote of 95 to five - to approve legislation to make the first reforms to the nation’s patent system in nearly six decades. The America Invents Act (S 23) is the product of nearly six years of debate in Congress (The Pharma Letters passim). The bill is sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy (Democrat, Vermont), Orrin Hatch (Republican, Utah) and Charles Grassley (Rep, Iowa), and is co-sponsored by a dozen other Senators.

“The America Invents Act will promote American innovation, create American jobs and grow America’s economy, all without adding to the deficit,” said Sen Leahy. “It is a jobs bill that won’t spend a penny of taxpayer dollars. It is commonsense legislation that will help preserve America’s position as the global leader in invention and innovation. I hope that the House [of Representatives] will look favorably on our work and adopt this measure so that it can be sent it to the President without delay and its improvements can take effect in order to encourage American innovation and promote American invention.”

Sen Hatch added: “To maintain our nation’s technological and entrepreneurial edge in the increasingly competitive global marketplace, it is vitally important that we have an efficient and streamlined patent system. This bill, which enjoys widespread support from lawmakers and the business community, will help expedite the patent process and further unleash the innovation and ingenuity that have kept America at the forefront of the world economy.