WASHINGTON (November 14, 2024) — Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance the Inventor Diversity for Economic Advancement (IDEA) Act, a bill with positive implications for U.S. innovation and economic competitiveness. We applaud the passage of the IDEA Act with bipartisan support and commend lead cosponsor Senator Mazie Hirono’s work to ensure that the patent system unlocks the full scope of America’s innovation potential.
The Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP) commends Chairman Durbin, Ranking Member Graham, and the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee for moving forward with the IDEA Act, which marks a significant step towards addressing harmful disparities in the patent system by directing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to collect key demographic data from patent applicants.
“Today’s vote is a victory for inventors and entrepreneurs nationwide,” said David Kappos, C4IP Board Co-Chair and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “By moving the IDEA Act forward, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have acknowledged the need for a more balanced and well-defined patent system that allows all inventors to protect their revolutionary ideas.”
“Expanding the American innovation ecosystem is critically important for the United States to maintain its technological lead. The IDEA Act will help the USPTO develop programs to do just that,” said Andrei Iancu, C4IP Board Co-Chair and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “Ultimately, the IDEA Act will help ensure that the next generation of artificial intelligence, life-saving therapies, and quantum computing technologies are American-invented and American-made.”
C4IP appreciates the leadership of Subcommittee on Intellectual Property Chairman Coons and Ranking Member Tillis, as well as Senator Hirono and other sponsors of this bill for championing America’s innovation ecosystem. C4IP’s leadership remains committed to advocating for the full spectrum of reforms needed to bolster innovation and expand economic opportunity for all.
About Council for Innovation Promotion: The Council for Innovation Promotion is a bipartisan coalition dedicated to promoting strong and effective intellectual property rights that drive innovation, boost economic competitiveness, and improve lives everywhere.