| Washington, DC – Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Patent Reform Act of 2007 which modernizes patent law. The bill, which was introduced yesterday by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, updates existing patent law to ensure that America remains at the forefront of global research and development efforts.
In addition to other needed reforms, the bill allows third parties to submit prior art during the patent examination process, thus ensuring higher quality patents. It also improves the process for verifying the validity and enforceability of patents.
“America powers the global economy because of its continued dedication to, and investment in, research and development,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren. “As a life long resident of Silicon Valley, I am uniquely aware of the immense importance that our patent system plays in research and development efforts. Without a modernized, fair, and competitive patent system we risk abdicating our role as the global leader in innovation. This bill will help secure our preeminence in research and development.” |
