USIJ Applauds House version of PREVAIL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Today, Representatives Ken Buck (R-CO) and Deborah Ross (D-NC) introduced the House companion bill to the Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership Act (PREVAIL Act), which was introduced by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and cosponsored by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) last week. Chris Israel, executive director of the Alliance of U.S. Startups and Investors for Jobs, released the following statement on the bill:

"We appreciate Representatives Buck and Ross leading this effort started to make much needed reforms to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

"The goal of U.S. policy makers should be to make it easier for disruptive startups to bring breakthrough technologies to the market. PTAB has become a barrier to this objective and is too often used by large incumbents to stall, harass and delay budding startups and entrepreneurs who have to face expensive and duplicative challenges to their patents. Reps. Buck and Ross clearly understand this problem and the PREVAIL Act will protect these small businesses and fix this broken system by requiring PTAB challengers to have standing and eliminating duplicative patent challenges.

"USIJ is hopeful that the unity demonstrated by both congressional chambers on this issue will resonate with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and lead to the swift passage of both pieces of legislation."