March 10, 2004Christopher Chichester
Press Secretary
202-225-4236

Smith Patent Bill Passes House


Watch the video clip

Congressman Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, today announced that the Cooperative Research and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) Act of 2004 he introduced passed the House of Representatives.   It allows researchers and inventors who work for different organizations to share information without losing the ability to file a patent.        

“Research collaborations are essential to the discovery of new inventions, the creation of new jobs, and the health of the U.S. economy.   Protecting them will provide greater incentives to develop new technologies,” said Rep. Smith.  

“Today’s biotech, pharmaceutical, and nano-technology companies conduct much of their research with partners such as universities and other public or private organizations,” commented Rep. Smith.  “In fact, the University of Texas ranks fourth on the list of universities that receive the most patents.  Many of these patents result from working with the private sector on research.”

The CREATE Act (H.R. 2391):

1) promotes communication among “team researchers” located at multiple organizations.

2) discourages those who would use the discovery process to impede co-inventors who voluntarily collaborated on research resulting in a patentable invention.

3) increases public knowledge, and

4) accelerates the commercial availability of new inventions.


Archives:

Congressman Lamar Smith | 2231 Rayburn House Office Building | Washington, D.C. 20515-4321 | (202) 225-4236
Privacy & Security Statement