Klobuchar Urges Passage of Bipartisan America Invents Act

Press Release

In a speech on the U.S. Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar pushed for passage of the bipartisan America Invents Act, a bill that would overhaul the nation's patent system. Klobuchar said that cutting red tape and reducing delays in the patent process is vital to encouraging innovation and reducing the burden on small businesses. Klobuchar serves on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which is responsible for overseeing U.S. patent laws.

"Innovation has always been a catalyzing force in Minnesota's economy," Klobuchar said. "Minnesota has brought the world everything from the Post-it note to the pacemaker and ranks sixth in the nation in patents per capita. We need to cut red tape and update our patent system to support the needs of a 21st-century economy and provide businesses the tools they need to continue to focus on innovation."

Klobuchar emphasized key reforms in the America Invents Act that would increase speed and certainty in the application process, enhance the quality of patents, and help the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office be more responsive to innovators. U.S. patent laws haven't been overhauled since 1952, which has led to a backlog of over 700,000 patent applications and low-quality patents -- potentially delaying groundbreaking innovations from coming to the market.

Klobuchar is a leader in Congress on promoting innovation and serves as chair of the Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion. Klobuchar recently introduced the bipartisan Innovate America Act with Senator Scott Brown (R-MA), legislation that would cut red tape to help businesses utilize research and development for new products, target successful education programs, and promote U.S. exports in new markets to strengthen America's ability to innovate and compete in the global economy.

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