House Judiciary Ranking Member Pushes Patent Reform Plan

House Judiciary ranking member Lamar Smith will urge colleagues at a hearing on patent legislation today to move forward with a proposal to enhance patent quality, discourage frivolous litigation and harmonize international patent principles. Smith joined Judiciary Chairman John Conyers to co-sponsor a bill he believes promotes those goals better than a version that passed the Senate Judiciary Committee this month. "Members of this committee are not passive participants who will accept whatever the other body hands us," Smith said in a statement. The Texas Republican is concerned with changes Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy made to language that impacts how damages are awarded in patent infringement lawsuits. (Thursday, April 30, 2009)

Boehner Leads New Republican Push For Patent Reform

House Minority Leader John Boehner and some other top Republicans are among more than 20 members sending a letter today to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stressing the need for major changes to the U.S. patent system. The communique comes one day before the House Judiciary Committee is set to examine the issue. Supporters of a patent bill introduced in March by Judiciary Chairman John Conyers and ranking member Lamar Smith were heartened by Boehner's involvement because he worked against a similar measure that passed the House in 2007. But companies like Google, Microsoft and Time Warner, which have lobbied Congress to overhaul how damages are awarded in patent lawsuits, might want to hold their applause. A Boehner spokesman pointed out the letter did not mention Conyers' bill by name. (Wednesday, April 29, 2009)