Senator Cites More Efficient Patent Approval as Crucial to

Small Business and Job Creation

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Herb Kohl voted to advance S.23, the Patent Reform Act, through the Senate Judiciary Committee this morning.  The bipartisan legislation will promote stronger intellectual property rights and a more efficient patent approval process.

“Strong intellectual property rights are invaluable to American innovation, global competitiveness, and economic growth. Patents are vital components in the research and development cycle that helps create small businesses and jobs,” Kohl said during Judiciary Committee consideration of the patent reform measure.

According to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation -- the non-profit patent licensing organization for the University of Wisconsin-Madison – more than fifty start- up companies in Wisconsin were fueled by patents resulting from research at the University of Wisconsin.  Kohl noted that there are countless other Wisconsin companies that rely on patents to sustain and grow their business.  

Kohl worked to strike a major section of the bill regarding prior user rights, which would have done serious harm to the University of Wisconsin and its patent licensing business.  Additional changes important to research universities were also negotiated, including provisions related to venue, grace period for first inventor to file, oath, and collaborative research. 

Regarding the Patent and Trademark Office, Kohl told the Committee that “…we still have work to do to address the PTO’s funding needs.  While Congress has a duty to carefully oversee the PTO, we also have an obligation to ensure that it has the resources necessary to issue top-quality patents in a timely manner.