For immediate release
Six leading consumer groups have told the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee that they support wide-ranging patent legislation currently under consideration. The Committee approved the bill on July 19, 2007.
In a letter sent Sept. 6, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Knowledge Ecology International, Public Knowledge and U.S. Public Interest Research Group said the legislation “takes a significant first step towards improving patent quality and reducing the costs and uncertainties of litigation.” The bill, S. 1145, is sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT).
The groups said the patent approval process will benefit from provisions in the bill that:
- allow for more comprehensive reviews of patent applications, before and after approval;
- for ensuring that the apportionment of damages for infringement are more fair and
- for clarifying what will constitute “willful infringement.”
A copy of the letter is available here (PDF).
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