Will MagLite patent continue to shine?

Yesterday, Representative Joe Baca (CA) re-introduced his legislation (HR 607, text not yet available) to extend the life of RE 38,014 which includes claims directed to MagLite flashlights.

Baca introduced this bill in the last Congress (see this prior PTP post).

This time around, he’s got the support of The National Association of Police Organizations and its 52 affiliates. The justification, according to Baca: “We need to make sure that our police officers and first responders have this nearly indestructible American-made steel flashlight instead of a fragile foreign knock-off flashlight made of aluminum or plastic.”

Again, I ask: isn’t the introduction of cheaper products upon patent expiration one of the fundamental purposes of the patent system?

I’d love the opportunity to talk with MagLite about the value of continued innovation and strong trademark protection.