“The Innovation Alliance congratulates those in the Congress and the Administration who have worked long and hard to see this day come. We commend them for their efforts, and we thank them for their willingness to work with stakeholders of all stripes to craft this much-improved legislation.

“We look forward to working with the Administration and the Congress to ensure that the Act is implemented and interpreted in ways that maximize its ability to foster innovation and continue America’s role as the most creative and productive economy in the world. Throughout the long history of congressional consideration of patent legislation, the Innovation Alliance has played a positive role in advocating for changes to the bill we believed would better promote American innovation and help create American jobs. We hope to continue to play that positive role during the implementation of this law.

“As the budget debate in Washington, D.C. continues, the Innovation Alliance will stay focused on ensuring that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), one of the great job engines for an innovation economy, has the resources it needs to meet its new responsibilities. The Innovation Alliance remains committed to continuing our efforts in conjunction with other patent stakeholders to ensure that the USPTO retains all of the user fees it earns.” # # #

Plato’s observation “necessity is the mother of invention” has played a key role in the success of our capitalistic system. The country’s founders, concerned about economic development and security, recognized that basic human endeavor by drafting a Constitutional provision authorizing Congress to “promote the progress of science and the useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive rights to their respective writings and discoveries.”

Thank you Roger [Martin], for that kind introduction.  I would like to thank the Innovation Alliance for having me in today to speak with you about intellectual property’s vital role in today’s innovation economy.

America stands at a critical juncture in our economic evolution, and intellectual property will play a key role in driving our economic growth and renewal.

                                                                                    June 13, 2011