The Hill News

After nearly six years of working on patent reform, we are near the finish line. Critics of the proposal claim that any change to the status quo may weaken our patent system. But they ignore the fact that our patent system is already broken. According to independent inventors and industry leaders, our patent system has become a barrier to innovation and job creation. 
 
The Patent and Trademark Office currently has a backlog of 1.2 million patents pending approval. It takes an average of three years to get a patent approved in the U.S. These are products and innovations that can grow businesses and create jobs for American workers.
 
And once an innovator finally receives approval for a patent, they are subjected to frivolous litigation over patent ownership that can take years and cost millions of dollars. Meanwhile, our competitors are busy developing new products that expand their businesses and grow their economies.

Read more...