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Washington, D.C. -- Today Congressman David Wu issued the following statement in support of House Concurrent Resolution 53 (H.Con.Res 53), a resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding the issuance of the 500,000th design patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
"For over 200 years, the role of the USPTO has been to promote the progress of science and innovation by securing to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries for a limited time. Under this system of protection, American industry has flourished. New products have been invented, new uses for old ones discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans. The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends directly on effective mechanisms that protect new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. The continued demand for patents and trademarks underscores the ingenuity of American inventors and entrepreneurs. The USPTO is indeed at the cutting edge of America's technological progress and achievement.
"On December 21, 2004, the USPTO reached an important milestone and awarded the 500,000th design patent to DaimlerChrysler Corporation for the design of the Chrysler Crossfire. I would like to congratulate the USPTO and its employees for being at the core of our nation's creative forces. Their commitment to excellence helped make this nation the world economic power that it is today.
"As the Ranking Member on the House Science Subcommittee on Environment, Technology and Standards and a former technology lawyer, I profoundly value the work of the USPTO and urge my colleagues to support this important institution."
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