Leahy Introduces Amended Bill to Protect Vessel Hull Designers

 

WASHINGTON (Tuesday, June 10, 2008) – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today introduced bipartisan legislation to protect the work and innovation of ship designers across the country.  Last year, Leahy led the Senate to unanimously pass similar legislation, and the bill introduced Friday provides additional clarification for the ship designs of the U.S. Navy.

 

A longtime advocate for intellectual property rights, Leahy introduced the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act Amendments of 2008 with Judiciary Committee members Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.). The bill will close a loophole exploited to infringe the intellectual property rights of vessel hull designers.  Like the original legislation introduced last year, the updated bill would amend the original Act passed in 1998 to clarify the difference between the “hull” and the “deck” of a ship.  The original act provided protections to ship designers, but court cases have exposed loopholes in law.  The updated legislation introduced Tuesday addresses recent concerns from the Navy, and provides assurance to the Department of Defense that government and defense designs will not be subject to unwarranted restrictions.

 

“This bill ensures that the intellectual property rights of vessel hull designers will be protected,” said Leahy.  “I hope the Senate will move quickly to pass this revised, bipartisan legislation.”

 

The Senate unanimously approved the original legislation in October.  Leahy’s statement on the introduction of the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act Amendments of 2008 follows.

 

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Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),

Chairman, Committee On The Judiciary,

On Introduction Of The Vessel Hull Design Protection Act Amendments Of 2008

June 10, 2008

 

I am happy to join with Senators Cornyn, Kohl, and Whitehouse as we introduce the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act Amendments of 2008.  An earlier version of this small but important piece of legislation was passed unanimously by both the Judiciary Committee and the full Senate last year.  The updated version of the bill that we offer today reflects conversations we have had recently with the Navy, and gives the Department of Defense full assurance that government and defense designs will not be subject to unwarranted restrictions.

 

Congress passed the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act in 1998 to recognize the significant time, effort, and innovation involved in ship design.  Litigation under the bill, however, has made it clear that in order to be effective, this law needs to be clarified and refined.  Our bill does exactly this, and no more, by clarifying the definition of “hull” and “deck.”  This ensures that the intellectual property rights of vessel hull designers will be protected.  I hope the Senate will move quickly to pass this revised, bipartisan legislation.

 

I ask unanimous consent that the full bill text be included in the Record.

 

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