Patent Reform Progresses In The 112TH Congress

With mounting patent application backlogs, currently numbering over 700,000, and numerous government agencies consistently reporting on the need for reform, overhaul of the patent system has been a bipartisan priority in Congress and a key area of focus for various sectors of American industry over the last several years. The 112th Congress is no different, and it appears momentum may be building to enact patent reform in 2011.

On March 30, H.R. 1249 was introduced in the House as the "America Invents Act." Earlier in March the US Senate passed S. 23, its version of patent reform, by a vote of 95-5.

Patent reform continues to be a major priority for public and private sector participants in the intellectual property system, and passage of comprehensive reform legislation has been a long time goal of Congress. S. 23 is the product of several years of bipartisan negotiation in the Senate. The overwhelming passage of the legislation in that chamber indicates both the