Congressional Patent Battle Begins Tuesday

March 2, 2009

Senate and House intellectual property leaders will hold a press conference Tuesday afternoon on Capitol Hill to discuss congressional action to overhaul the nation's patent system in the 111th Congress. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers and ranking member Lamar Smith are expected to introduce bipartisan bicameral patent legislation the same day. The House passed a patent bill last Congress 220 to 175 and the Senate Judiciary Committee reported a similar measure. The bill stalled after Leahy and ranking member Arlen Specter collided over differences on how damages should be awarded in patent lawsuits.

Recent CongressDaily coverage on this issue (subscription required):

Patent Bills Coming Soon From Judiciary Leaders
Leahy: Senate Patent Bill Coming Soon
Senators Close To Reintroducing Patent Overhaul Measure
Eyeing Patent Overhaul, Big Manufacturers Form Coalition
CAP Urges Patent Overhaul Be Priority For Congress, Obama

Look for more in CongressDaily's Tuesday AM Edition.

Juliana Gruenwald

Tech Writer

E-Mail: jgruenwald@nationaljournal.com.

Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.

Josh Smith

Tech Reporter

E-Mail: joshsmith@nationaljournal.com.

Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.

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