Congressional Research Service Reports - 10 Matching Results

Search Results

Results: 1 - 10
open access

Patent Reform: Overview and Comparison of S. 507 and H.R. 400

Description: The pending omnibus patent reform bills (S. 507 and H.R. 400) would reorganize the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) as a government corporation and enact several other patent law reforms including early publication (with exceptions) and patent term restoration. S. 507 consists of six titles; H.R. 400 contains five titles.
Date: August 4, 1998
Creator: Schrader, Dorothy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

An Examination of the Issues Surrounding Biotechnology Patenting and Its Effect Upon Entrepreneurial Companies

Description: The biotechnology industry is notable both for its heavy concentration of small businesses and its weighty research and development (R&D) expenditures. Given the small size and heavy expenses of many biotechnology firms, their ability to raise venture capital may be of some consequence. The patent law has been identified as a facilitator of these R&D financing efforts. Congress may choose to exercise oversight on these issues. Such consideration would likely include examination of U.S. commitme… more
Date: August 31, 2000
Creator: Thomas, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Copyright Law: Digital Rights Management Legislation

Description: Digital Rights Management (DRM) refers to the technology that copyright owners use to protect digital media. This report surveys several of the DRM bills that were introduced in the 107th Congress and those that are pending in the 108th Congress. Generally, the bills are directed at two separate goals. One goal is to increase access to digitally-protected media for lawful purposes. The other attempts to thwart digital piracy and would do so by enhancing civil and criminal sanctions for digital … more
Date: August 2, 2004
Creator: Jeweler, Robin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Influenza Antiviral Drugs and Patent Law Issues

Description: This report examines the role that intellectual property rights play in affecting the availability of a patented drug such as Tamiflu during public health crises. The report also explains one legal mechanism for increasing a patented drug’s production without the patent holder’s consent: governments may abrogate a pharmaceutical company’s patent rights by issuing compulsory licenses to other drug companies to manufacture generic versions of the drug.
Date: August 16, 2007
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Follow-On Biologics: Intellectual Property and Innovation Issues

Description: This report reviews doctrinal and policy issues pertaining to follow-on biologics. The report first introduces the application of federal food and drug legislation to follow-on biologics. It next turns to the patent implications of marketing follow-on biologics. Following this review of substantive law, the remainder of the report introduces innovation policy issues pertaining to follow-on biologics.
Date: August 3, 2009
Creator: Schacht, Wendy H. & Thomas, John R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Qui Tam: An Abbreviated Look at the False Claims Act and Related Federal Statutes

Description: This is a brief discussion of the constitutional questions raised by qui tam provisions; of the history of such provisions; and of the three existing, active federal qui tam statutes--the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. 3729-3733; the false marking patent statute, 35 U.S.C. 292; and the Indian protection provisions of 25 U.S.C. 201.
Date: August 6, 2009
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

An Overview of the "Patent Trolls" Debate

Description: This report reviews the current debate and controversy surrounding "patent assertion entities" (PAEs) and their effect on innovation, examines the reasons for the rise in PAE litigation, and explores the legislative options available to Congress if it decides that these are issues that should be addressed.
Date: August 20, 2012
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Federal Circuit Rules on Trademarks Considered Offensive: May Affect Redskins Trademark Dispute

Description: This legal sidebar examines cases involving the revocation of the Washington Redskins' federally-registered trademarks (Pro-Football, Inc. v. Blackhorse) and the refusal to grant registration for a rock band's name (In re Tam). These cases raise questions about the constitutionality of Section 2(a) of the Trademark Act of 1946 (conventionally known as the Lanham Act), which denies trademark registration to certain offensive content.
Date: August 8, 2016
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Repair, Modification, or Resale of Software-Enabled Consumer Electronic Devices: Copyright Law Issues

Description: This report provides a discussion and analysis of copyright law issues that may be implicated by the repair, modification, or resale of software-enabled consumer electronic devices. These issues include software licensing, fair use, the first sale doctrine, and the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
Date: August 11, 2016
Creator: Yeh, Brian T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Enforcing U.S. Trade Laws: Section 301 and China

Description: This report discusses the Trump Administration's decision to proceed with a Section 301 case against China's intellectual property rights (IPR) policies and their intent to impose 25% ad valorem tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese products. It also looks at past use of Section 301 against China.
Date: August 2, 2018
Creator: Morrison, Wayne M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen