PTO funding and fee diversion - show your support

Earlier this month, the House Judiciary Committee officially placed Patent and Trademark Office fees on the calendar by recommending passage of the Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 2005 (H.R. 2791) (PTFMA) without amendment.

While the future of the PTFMA is not clear, we know that PTO funding and fees must be debated at some point this year because the provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 (H.R. 4818) expire at the end of fiscal year 2006 (September 30, 2006).

Fees and funding, of course, seem to necessarily lead to debate of the fee diversion issue (in fact, the PTFMA includes anti-fee diversion provisions).  That said, it seems that now would be an appropriate time to write your Representative and express your beliefs about the diversion issue.  As you’re penning your letter, consider the following:

1.  Despite the bitter disagreement on several patent reform issues, most PTO stakeholders strongly oppose the concept of fee diversion and support a permanent legislative fix to the problem (H.R. 4818 provides a temporary fix).

2.  At least one influential person believes that innovation is important to our future as a leader of the global economy.  Will our system for protecting innovation be up to the challenge if fee diversion continues?

Feel like writing?  Find your Representative here.