On August 10, 2010, President Obama signed into law H.R. 5874, a bill that provides a supplemental appropriation of $129 million to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It is expected that the additional funding will reduce the backlog of unexamined patents and reduce patent pendency by allowing the USPTO to hire new examiners, provide additional examiner overtime, and improve the Patent and Trademark Office's information technology systems.
After President Obama signed the bill, David Kappos, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, said, "We are grateful to the President for his support and to Members of the House and Senate for their exceptional efforts to move this legislation through the process so quickly. This additional funding will allow us to continue the progress we've made in improving the USPTO and the patent process so that patents can be issued more quickly, investment in new technology and new products will be accelerated and much-needed jobs will be created."
Leave a comment