The Committee on Rules has announced that it may meet the week of February 9th to grant a rule which could limit the amendment process for floor consideration of H.R. 1561, the United States Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 2003. The Committee the Judiciary ordered the bill reported on July 9th, 2003 and filed its report with the House on July 25th, 2003.

Any Member who wishes to offer an amendment should submit 55 copies of the amendment and one copy of a brief explanation of the amendment to the Rules Committee in room H-312 of the Capitol by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10th, 2004. A link to the form used to submit amendments to the Rules Committee is located on the top of the page. Members should draft their amendments to the text of the bill as reported by the Committee on the Judiciary.

Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are drafted in the most appropriate format. Members are also advised to check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the rules of the House. If you have any questions, please contact myself or George Rogers at x5-9191.