WASHINGTON (November 21, 2024) — Today, the United States Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a landmark bill — the Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership (PREVAIL) Act — that will significantly improve America’s patent system. The advancement of this bill marks a historic milestone for intellectual property rights in the United States as the first major pro-patent bill to advance out of Committee in many years.
The Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP) celebrates this positive development, which sets the stage for a new era of U.S. innovation and demonstrates Congress’ commitment to safeguarding inventors’ rights and positioning America as a global leader in the cutting-edge technologies of the future. In recent years, C4IP has strongly advocated for this legislation.
The PREVAIL Act reforms the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to eliminate duplicative proceedings — which unfairly benefit corporate giants accused of infringement — and protect inventors’ right to “quiet title” for their patents by requiring parties to raise any arguments against a patent in one petition rather than multiple. These reforms would protect small businesses from abuses by large firms practicing predatory infringement.
“Today’s hearing delivered a triumph for innovators and economic prosperity across our country,” said David Kappos, C4IP Board Co-Chair and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “By advancing these crucial reforms, the Senate Judiciary Committee is ensuring a more fair system for all inventors and opening the door for a more robust, diverse, and accessible patent system.”
“Today’s vote is a critical step to secure America’s innovation leadership into the 21st century,” said Andrei Iancu, C4IP Board Co-Chair and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “This bill simplifies our patent system, increases the reliability of American intellectual property, and further encourages our inventors to innovate in key areas of technology like artificial intelligence, advanced medical therapies, quantum computing, and renewable energy.”
C4IP applauds Chairman Durbin, Ranking Member Graham, Subcommittee on Intellectual Property Chairman Coons and Ranking Member Tillis, alongside all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the authors of this bill for championing policies that increase America’s innovative potential. The PREVAIL Act promises to bolster confidence in the patent process, eliminate roadblocks for inventors, and raise all Americans’ awareness of their constitutionally protected intellectual property rights.
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.