Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022
Latest action · Dec 7, 2022 Held at the desk.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedSep 21, 2021
- Passed SenateDec 6, 2022
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022
This bill modifies the responsibilities of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) satellite offices and addresses related issues.
The bill increases the discount on patent-related fees for small and micro entities. An entity that falsely claims such a discount shall be subject to a fine, in addition to any other existing penalties.
The bill also modifies the statutory purpose of PTO satellite offices to include (1) outreach activities targeting certain groups, such as low-income populations, veterans, and geographic groups that are underrepresented in patent filings; and (2) targeting patent examiners and administrative patent judges from economically, geographically, and demographically diverse backgrounds in the PTO's retention activities.
For each satellite office established after January 1, 2023, the PTO must consider the office's proximity to anchor institutions (e.g., hospitals primarily serving veterans and institutions of higher education) and certain groups, such as low-income populations, veterans, and geographic groups that are underrepresented in patent filings.
The PTO must establish (1) a satellite office in the southeastern United States within three years of this bill's enactment, (2) at least four community outreach offices throughout the United States within five years of this bill's enactment, and (3) a pilot program to help prospective first-time patent applicants assess the strengths and weaknesses of a potential patent application.
The PTO must also (1) conduct and report to Congress a study on patent pro bono programs, including whether such programs are sufficiently serving prospective and existing participants; and (2) use the study's findings to update such pro bono programs.
Cosponsors 2
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Sep 21, 2021 to Feb 28, 2022; 1 is an original cosponsor, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-NC | Thom Tillis | Original | Sep 21, 2021 |
| D-HI | Mazie K. Hirono | Feb 28, 2022 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Judiciary Committee | Referred Sep 21, 2021Markup Dec 1, 2022Reported Dec 1, 2022 |
Actions 9
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Dec 7, 2022Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 7, 2022Received in the House.
- Dec 7, 2022Held at the desk.
- Dec 6, 2022Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7006-7007)
- Dec 1, 2022Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Dec 1, 2022Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Durbin with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Dec 1, 2022Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 571.
- Sep 21, 2021Introduced in Senate
- Sep 21, 2021Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S6589)
In the Congressional Record 2
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Debate and remarks S7006, S7007Amendments S7006 | Margaret Wood Hassan D-NH | Dec 6, 2022 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S6589 | Patrick J. Leahy D-VT | Sep 21, 2021 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
CRS reports 1
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 1
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| IF12795 | How Can Anchor Institutions Affect Economic Development? | Resource | Oct 25, 2024 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 8697 | Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022 | Related bill | Nov 1, 2022 |
Titles 4
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to amend the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act to address satellite offices of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2021
- Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate
- Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022
- Short Title(s) as Passed Senate
- Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Commerce.
Text 3
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Dec 6, 2022Engrossed in Senate
- Dec 1, 2022Reported to Senate
- Sep 21, 2021Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
