Trade Protection Not Troll Protection Act Introduced

On March 22, 2016 Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA) and Blake Farenthold (R-TX) introduced the Trade Protection Not Troll Protection Act to protect American companies from abusive litigation from patent trolls, companies that do no make or sell any products but purchase patents and then sue American employers for products that are already on the market. See a press release from Representative Cardenas that explains and links to the bill. If you'd like to follow the bill's progress through Congress, access H.R. 4829 - Trade Protection Not Troll Protection on Congress.gov and use the Get alerts button.

Patent Reform Hearing

Patent Reform: Protecting Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the March 19, 2015 hearing before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, is now available without charge online. In his opening statement Chairman David Vitter, U.S. Senator from Louisiana, stated:

We have heard pleas from businesses across the board that the patent system is increasingly becoming a forum for financial speculation and litigation rather than innovation. American innovators and small businesses across the country are being forced to divert critical resources to defend themselves against vague claims of patent infringement, resulting in substantial drains on our economy.

Vitter goes on to emphasize that our patent system fuels the economy and that patent reform discussion must include "a detailed analysis of how legislation would further impact small business, investors, and universities."