House Passes So Called Innovation Act

Innovation Alliance Executive Director Brian Pomper released the following statement today regarding House passage of the Innovation Act, H.R. 3309:

“Today’s vote in the House on the Innovation Act, while disappointing, was not a surprise, given the massive effort to speed it through the legislative process without real consideration. What is clear to a large and diverse group of stakeholders – including inventors, manufacturers, universities and many other organizations representing America’s innovators – is this: H.R. 3309, as approved by the House today, will hurt U.S. innovation, economic growth, and job creation. That’s something our nation cannot afford.

“The good news is that this debate is far from over. Even many of those who spoke in support of the bill in the House today emphasized that it remains a work in progress, and that further improvements to address the many concerns that have been raised are needed. As the national conversation about patents and their role in innovation and job creation shifts to the Senate, the Innovation Alliance looks forward to working with Chairman Leahy and his colleagues to achieve a consensus product that will successfully target abusive behavior but not harm innovators and the economy.”