April Highlights: C4IP’s Government Agenda Leads the Way on IP Reform
The intellectual property system that has powered American prosperity for over 200 years is facing increased threats — from uncertainty surrounding the patent eligibility of emerging technologies like AI to patent and trademark manipulation by foreign adversaries like China. But with those challenges come major opportunities for policymakers to strengthen the IP framework that underpins U.S. innovation.
In April, C4IP released a new government agenda, which details 18 IP reforms the 119th Congress and the Trump administration should advance to fortify America’s IP system and promote U.S. economic growth and technological competitiveness:
Read It Now: “Reaffirm and Refine: A Government Agenda for Intellectual Property — Edition 2”
- C4IP’s statement announcing the publication of the agenda highlights three of its key recommendations — passing legislation like RESTORE, PERA, and PREVAIL to restore strong patent protections; countering IP theft and exploitation from China; and establishing clear legal frameworks for AI-generated content that incentivize human creators without stifling AI-driven breakthroughs.
- The government agenda was featured in an article in IPWatchdog, as well as IPWatchdog’s weekly news roundup.
- The agenda was highlighted in an IAM article outlining potential IP policy changes that could take place under the Trump administration.
- The IAM article was also picked up by the Global Competition Review.
Additional Coalition Updates
- On April 29-30, C4IP Board Members Judge Paul Michel (ret.) and Judge Kathleen O’Malley (ret.), along with Co-Chair Andrei Iancu, took part in the Penn State Dickinson Law Innovation Forum on Capitol Hill. The two-day event brings together leaders from all branches of government, industry, and academia to explore forward-looking policies that support American innovation.
- On April 29, C4IP Chief Policy Officer and Counsel Jamie Simpson will deliver testimony at the USPTO’s public hearing on the proposed WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge. The hearing features participants from academia, industry, and policy organizations. Additional details can be found here.
- On April 28, C4IP’s advocacy for legislation that strengthens the U.S. patent system was featured in World Intellectual Property Review. The article highlighted specific support for passing the PERA, PREVAIL, and RESTORE Patent Rights Acts as essential steps to support American innovation, protect small inventors, and maintain U.S. technological leadership amid rising competition from China.
- On April 26, C4IP celebrated World IP Day, which this year spotlighted the role of IP in shaping the global music landscape. In a statement released ahead of the occasion, C4IP Executive Director Frank Cullen emphasized how IP protections empower artists and fuel innovation in the music industry — contributing billions to the economy and supporting millions of jobs in the process.
- On April 25, C4IP announced the addition of two prominent intellectual property leaders, Marylee Jenkins and Susan Natland, to its Advisory Board. Jenkins, a partner at ArentFox Schiff and former chair of the ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law, and Natland, a partner at Knobbe Martens and co-chair of its Trademark and Brand Protection Group, bring decades of experience and unique insights to the Advisory Board.
- The announcement was featured in POLITICO’s Influence newsletter.
- On April 24, C4IP Co-Chair Andrei Iancu delivered a keynote address at the 2025 IP Awareness Summit in Palo Alto, California, speaking on the role of innovation, competitiveness, and AI in shaping the future of American leadership. C4IP Chief Policy Officer and Counsel Jamie Simpson also participated in a panel discussion on the shifting IP business landscape across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
- On April 23, C4IP sent a letter to the European Commission raising serious concerns about proposed revisions to the EU’s General Pharmaceutical Legislation and Patent Package. The letter warned that weakening IP protections — such as shortening regulatory data exclusivity periods and enabling broad compulsory licensing — would deter biopharmaceutical investment, undermine transatlantic innovation leadership, and set a dangerous global precedent at a time of increasing competition from China.
- On April 23, C4IP, UK Innovate, and the Kentucky Intellectual Property Alliance hosted a joint forum at the University of Kentucky that featured presentations and discussions on the benefits of IP rights for businesses in the Bluegrass State.
- On April 22, C4IP Chief Policy Officer and Counsel Jamie Simpson participated in the “U.S. Intellectual Property Legislative Landscape” panel at the Federal Circuit Bar Association’s 2025 Global Series Spring Session in Washington, DC. The panel explored recent developments in U.S. IP legislation, emerging priorities for the new Congress, and their potential impact on innovation and economic competitiveness.
- On April 18, C4IP Executive Director Frank Cullen sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz applauding the USPTO’s recent reforms to the PTAB and emphasizing the importance of further pro-patent reforms to help U.S. inventors compete with China.
- C4IP also published a statement elaborating on the benefits of the USPTO’s recent actions, which include withdrawing harmful guidance that allowed Big Tech firms to harass inventors and issuing a new, improved process for discretionary denial practice.
- On April 10, C4IP issued a statement celebrating the reintroduction of the bipartisan NO FAKES Act, which would establish a legal right for creators to have control over digitally created replicas of their likenesses, in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
- On April 2, C4IP Executive Director Frank Cullen sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee detailing why four pending bills — the Drug Competition Enhancement Act, the Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act, the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act, and the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act — would weaken critical patent rights.
- C4IP’s concerns were mentioned in articles in Law360 and IPWatchdog covering the Senate Judiciary Committee’s April 3 hearing on the bills.
- On April 2, C4IP Co-Chair David Kappos delivered the keynote address at the 5th Annual Boston Intellectual Property Law Association (BIPLA) Symposium in Boston, MA. C4IP Chief Policy Officer and Counsel Jamie Simpson also gave a presentation on pending federal IP legislation and anticipated developments.
- On April 1, C4IP Co-Chair Andrei Iancu, Board Member Judge Paul Michel (ret.), and Chief Policy Officer Jamie Simpson were featured in panel discussions on innovation, national security, and IP policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) conference, LeadershIP 2025.
- Iancu’s remarks advocating for IP protection for AI inventions were detailed in an article in Law360.