To establish additional USPTO satellite offices.

1. 1

   Change 1: Adds SEC. 18. SATELLITE OFFICES on page 104, between lines 22 and 23

   Adds a sectionPrinted page

   Inserted: SEC. 18. SATELLITE OFFICES.

   Inserted: (a) Establishment.--Subject to available resources, the Director shall establish 3 or more satellite offices in the United States to carry out the responsibilities of the Patent and Trademark Office.

   Inserted: (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the satellite offices established under subsection (a) are to--

   Inserted: (1) increase outreach activities to better connect patent filers and innovators with the Patent and Trademark Office;

   Inserted: (2) enhance patent examiner retention;

   Inserted: (3) improve recruitment of patent examiners; and

   Inserted: (4) decrease the number of patent applications waiting for examination and improve the quality of patent examination.

   Inserted: (c) Required Considerations.--In selecting the locale of each satellite office to be established under subsection (a), the Director shall--

   Inserted: (1) ensure geographic diversity among the offices, including by ensuring that such offices are established in different States and regions throughout the Nation; and

   Inserted: (2) rely upon any previous evaluations by the Patent and Trademark Office of potential locales for satellite offices, including any evaluations prepared as part of the Patent and Trademark Office's Nationwide Workforce Program that resulted in the 2010 selection of Detroit, Michigan as the first ever satellite office of the Patent and Trademark Office.

   Inserted: (d) Phase-in.--The Director shall satisfy the requirements of subsection (a) over the 3-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.

   Inserted: (e) Report to Congress.--Not later than the end of the first fiscal year that occurs after the date of the enactment of this Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Director shall submit a report to Congress on--

   Show 6 more inserted paragraphsShow less

   Inserted: (1) the rationale of the Director in selecting the locale of any satellite office required under subsection (a);

   Inserted: (2) the progress of the Director in establishing all such satellite offices; and

   Inserted: (3) whether the operation of existing satellite offices is achieving the purposes required under subsection (b).

   Inserted: (f) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions shall apply:

   Inserted: (1) Director.--The term "Director" means the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

   Inserted: (2) Patent and trademark office.--The term "Patent and Trademark Office" means the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

   Original wording

   On page 104, between lines 22 and 23, insert the following:

2. 2

   Change 2: Replaces “SEC. 18.” with “SEC. 19.”

   ReplacesPage 104, line 23Printed page

   In S. 23 · Reported to Senate

   (f) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall apply to any civil action commenced on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

   SEC. [struck: 18][inserted: 19]. EFFECTIVE DATE.

   Effective Date</DELETED>.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the provisions of this Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to any patent issued on or after that effective date.

   Original wording

   On page 104, line 23, strike “SEC. 18.” and insert “SEC. 19.”.

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As printed