Patent debate shifts to the Senate

Patent reform advocates are focusing their attention on the Senate now that the House has passed the Innovation Act, authored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlate (R-VA).

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing Dec. 17 on the Patent Transparency and Improvements Act, authored by Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Sen Mike Lee (R-UT). When defending his bill to the House Rules Committee, Rep Goodlatte highlighted the similarities between his Innovation Act and the Senate bill, and pointed to a National Review piece he and Sen Lee had written about their shared views on patent reform. Sen Leahy applauded the House’s vote on the Innovation Act: “Targeted reforms should address abuses in the system while ensuring that legitimate inventors can continue to succeed and grow our economy. I look forward to working through the Committee process in the Senate to achieve this goal.”