Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 791) to amend the Small Business Act to expand intellectual property education and training for small businesses, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 791, the Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017.

As small-business entrepreneurs continue to expand both here and abroad, they must have the tools they need to protect their intellectual property. However, the process for obtaining intellectual property protections both in the U.S. and abroad can be daunting, even for the most experienced small-business owner.

We must ensure that small-business owners have the tools they need to protect their innovative ideas and products, as intellectual property protections are essential to promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.

Small-business owners often do not have the resources to protect their ideas and products, especially when they are competing in the international marketplace. Most simply cannot afford to retain attorneys to guide them through the difficult process of obtaining intellectual property protections, which leaves them vulnerable to their innovative ideas and products being stolen both here in the United States and internationally.

This legislation addresses this issue by developing a partnership between the Small Business Administration, the SBA, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO, giving entrepreneurs the full breadth of knowledge of a Small Business Development Center system and the USPTO.

The bill utilizes existing resources at both agencies to better assist small-business owners and expand their outreach efforts to provide small businesses with the resources they need to address intellectual property issues.

Considering the important role that small-business entrepreneurs play in our global marketplace, it is our responsibility to ensure that they have the resources they need to better protect their intellectual property.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, September 20, 2018.

Hon. Steve Chabot,

Chairman, Committee on Small Business,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Chabot, I write with respect to S. 791, the

``Small Business Innovation Protection Act.'' As a result of

your having consulted with us on provisions within S. 791

that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on

the Judiciary, I forego any further consideration of this

bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor

for consideration.

The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual

understanding that by foregoing consideration of S. 791 at

this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject

matter contained in this or similar legislation and that our

committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as

this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may

address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our

committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an

appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate

conference involving this or similar legislation and asks

that you support any such request.

I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to S. 791 and would ask that

a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included

in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of S.

791.

Sincerely,

Bob Goodlatte,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, S. 791 is the Senate counterpart to legislation spearheaded on the House side by Mr. Evans and Mr. Fitzpatrick, both of Pennsylvania. Once again, it is bipartisan legislation coming out of the Small Business Committee.

That bill, H.R. 2655, was also reported unanimously out of our committee this spring. I commend them on their work on this important issue.

This legislation helps small businesses receive better access to education and training opportunities both domestically and abroad.

A partnership between the Small Business Administration and the USPTO would help more small-business owners learn how they can use intellectual property to protect their ideas and products. This important partnership between the two agencies will help to reach more small-business owners and better prepare them for doing business both here and abroad.

It is vital that small-business owners have as many tools and resources as possible to help protect their innovative ideas from intellectual property theft.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would just advise the gentlewoman not to get ahead of herself there. It ain't happened yet, and I don't think it is going to happen. But nonetheless, we have had a wonderful working relationship over the years. I have been the chair; I have been the ranking member. The gentlewoman from New York has been the chair and the ranking member. We would like to keep it just the way it is now, but we will see in about 6 weeks.

Mr. Speaker, I have already given the closing statement, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2655) to amend the Small Business Act to expand intellectual property education and training for small businesses, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House Small Business Committee, I rise this evening in support of another bill, H.R. 2655, the Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017, and I want to commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans) for his leadership on this bill.

As small entrepreneurs continue to expand their businesses both here and abroad, they must have the tools they need to protect their intellectual property. Entrepreneurs and small-business owners have generated more than 63 percent of new jobs over the last two decades, and small businesses represent about 96 percent of employer firms in high-patenting manufacturing industries.

However, the process for obtaining copyright, trademark, and patent protections both in the United States and abroad can be daunting, even for the most experienced small-business owners. We need to ensure that small-business owners have the tools they need to protect their innovative ideas and products, as intellectual property protections are essential to promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.

Small-business owners often do not have the knowledge or resources to protect their ideas and products, especially when they are competing in the international marketplace. Most simply cannot afford to retain attorneys to guide them through the difficult process of obtaining intellectual property protections, which leaves them vulnerable to their innovative ideas and products being stolen both here in the United States and internationally.

This bipartisan legislation, introduced by my friend and colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans) addresses this issue by forming a partnership between the SBA, the Small Business Administration, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, giving entrepreneurs the full breadth of knowledge of the Small Business Development Center system and the USPTO. The partnership will provide training for small-business owners, which can be provided by the USPTO, the SBA, or a Small Business Development Center either electronically or at a physical location.

This legislation utilizes existing resources at both agencies to better assist small-business owners and expand their outreach efforts to provide small businesses with the resources they need to address intellectual property issues.

Considering the important role that small entrepreneurs play in our global marketplace, it is our responsibility to ensure that they have the resources they need to better protect their intellectual property. H.R. 2655 addresses this important small business issue and, therefore, I would urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank Mr. Evans for his leadership on this, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation strengthens the partnership between two important Federal agencies that help small businesses protect what they have created: the SBA and the USPTO.

It is important that small firms across the Nation have access to all the tools that they need to protect their creations from intellectual property theft.

Therefore, I would urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2655, the Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017.

I want to thank my colleague Congressman Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania for working with me to help American small businesses via this critical piece of legislation.

H.R. 2655 directs the Small Business Administration and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and the Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to enter into a partnership agreement; one, to develop high quality training for small business concerns related to domestic and international protection of intellectual property and how such protections should be considered in small business concerns' business plans and growth strategies.

Number two, to leverage existing training material already developed to educate inventors as well as small business concerns.

In addition, section 4 of this bill provides that the agencies must use the training material that they already have at their disposal.

I think that Members of the Congress have a special duty to try and ensure that our small businesses have all the tools in the toolbox they need to succeed.

We know that small businesses are critical to the economic strength of our country, especially new and growing tech-based economies.

That is why we should create programs like this to assist entrepreneurs in starting their own businesses, providing structure, and helping them with their progress.

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where there are already 1 million small businesses, which, according to the Pennsylvania SBDC, employ 2.4 million workers that make up 47 percent of the private sector labor force, it is critical that these businesses be able to protect their intellectual properties so that they will feel free to continue growth and innovation and prosper.

This bill is a step in the right direction by expanding intellectual property education and training for small businesses. And frankly, Mr. Speaker, this bill is an example of how we can use the power of government to create narrowly tailored solutions to problems in the current public/private partnerships in Pennsylvania and around the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the support of my colleagues.

In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, there is a letter from the Biotechnology Industry Organization written in support of this particular bill I ask that my colleagues support.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise to support H.R. 2655, the Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017.

Innovation is an indispensable driver of economic growth and it ensures America's competitive edge in the global marketplace, but many small innovators who should have IP rights are disadvantaged by a complex system which allows their property to be pirated. Much of the time, all they needed was access to the resources, the expertise, and the knowledge to obtain, monitor, and enforce their rights.

H.R. 2655 corrects this by creating a partnership between the two agencies best suited to help these innovators: the Small Business Administration and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

By leveraging existing IP education and training programs and utilizing the immense network of Small Business Development Centers, innovators will have all the necessary resources to better protect their interests both domestically and internationally.

I applaud Representative Evans for recognizing the problem and working to advance the interests of our Nation's small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, intellectual property protections offer small innovative firms and entrepreneurs much needed

protection at home and in other countries.

In fact, small business firms with IP rights earned 32 percent more in revenue on average per employee when compared to their counterparts without IP rights.

Without those protections, our economy may not be what it is today.

H.R. 2655 offers necessary education and training to sustain America's competitive edge and drive continued economic growth.

As such, I once again urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 791, the Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017.

Innovation is an indispensable element driving economic growth and ensuring America's competitive edge in the global marketplace. In fact, it is so important that studies show the IP industry supports an estimated 30 percent of all jobs and contributes over $6 trillion to

Mr. Speaker, in line with the bills we are debating today, this recognizes the special place small firms have in America's economy and provides them a simple tool to protect themselves and their ideas.

Today's bill leverages the current role of the USPTO and SBA to educate and protect innovative entrepreneurs at home and abroad. Doing so is paramount to remaining the global leader in innovation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ranking member--the chairman, Mr. Chabot, and the staff of both the minority and the majority side. It has been a great pleasure working on these nine bills.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.