House Dems Oppose Patent Reform Bill

Integral House Democrats are opposing a patent reform bill that has been introduced in the House, reports The Hill.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) said on the House floor that she is turned off by the fact that the bill doesn’t guarantee that patent fees collected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office won’t be diverted to other agencies.

This constitutes a major issue, as many congressmen view those fees as a way to expand USPTO's ability to look through patents faster and shorten approval times. "So that is a major reason why the bill is defective," she said.

To be sure, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., repeatedly stressed that the bill would require USPTO fees to stay within the office.