America Invents Act (H.R. 1249) — Comprehensive Patent Reform Promotes American Innovation and Creates Jobs

From: The Committee on the Judiciary
Bill: H.R. 1249
Date: 6/1/2011

Dear Colleagues,
            Last week I circulated a letter on H.R. 1249, the “America Invents Act.”  Today, I want to bring to your attention a letter from former Attorney General Michael Mukasey that squarely addresses the strong constitutional underpinnings of the bill and its move to a first-inventor-to-file system. As I stated earlier, this provision and the bill as a whole aligns directly with the authority granted in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8. The America Invents Act is, at its core, designed to return the American patent system to one that achieves the constitutional imperative of promoting the progress of science and the useful arts.
            The bill has also been expressly designed to encourage innovation and promote job creation. The Act reduces the costs of frivolous litigation, increases patent certainty and promotes the creation of American jobs. The Act includes provisions that will bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States; it encourages University research and commercialization, boosting our education system; and it includes provisions that create less expensive alternative legal forums at the USPTO that will reduce the costs of frivolous litigation on job creators. The Act addresses the fundamental question that what is good for American innovators and innovative industries will ultimately be a good deal for all Americans.
            As we continue to build on the strong support and momentum for final passage of the bill, I hope that you will agree that the “America Invents Act” will create a better patent system than exists today for inventors and innovative industries, helping to ensure America’s continued economic prosperity and technological leadership. 
                                                                                             

                                                                                                          Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Lamar Smith
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Chairman

                                                                                                          Judiciary Committee