President Obama’s State of the Union address to the nation covered many topics, but some tech watchers took particular note of the emphasis on innovation.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) seized on President Obama’s message of innovation and economic competitiveness in the State of the Union address to plug the patent-reform legislation he introduced on Tuesday.
“I share President Obama’s commitment to preserving America’s role as the global leader in innovation. Entrepreneurs and inventors help to drive the nation’s economic engine,” Leahy said in response to the president’s speech.
A key piece of legislation, the Patent Reform Act of 2011, aims to short-circuit frivolous patent lawsuits and curb the practice of so-called patent trolls, companies whose primary business is to litigate intellectual property rather than develop and market legitimate products. In addition to the litigation provisions, the bill seeks broadly to streamline the application process and improve the quality of patents.
Datamation has a full report on Senator Leahy’s response and his plans to try and fast-track patent reform legislation as well as comments by Brian Pomper, Executive Director of the Innovation Alliance.