Innovation Alliance Executive Director Brian Pomper released the following statement today on the U.S. House of Representative’s vote on H.R. 1249, the America Invents Act:  

“The Innovation Alliance is disappointed that the House of Representatives has approved legislation that will not end permanently the diversion of user fees from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).    

“Along with many other patent stakeholders across a range of sectors and business models, we believe that the anti-fee diversion provisions approved by an overwhelming vote of 95-5 in the U.S. Senate and a 32-3 vote in the House Judiciary Committee offer the USPTO the reliability and structure it needs to reduce today’s significant backlog of 700,000 patent applications.  Reducing the patent backlog and strengthening the USPTO is essential for driving innovation, job creation, and economic growth.

"We will continue to work with lawmakers and other stakeholders to ensure that any patent bill that becomes law ends fee diversion permanently.”

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