III 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 161 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 3, 2011 Mr. Leahy (for himself, Mr. Grassley, and Mr. Coons) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating May 2011, as National Inventors Month.

Whereas the first United States patent was issued in 1790 to Samuel Hopkins of the State of Vermont for a process to make better fertilizer; Whereas American inventors have contributed to advances in life sciences, technology, and manufacturing; Whereas the Constitution specifically provides for the granting of exclusive rights to inventors for their discoveries; Whereas the United States patent system is intended to implement that constitutional imperative and incentivize inventions; Whereas American inventors benefit from an up-to-date and efficient patent system and the economy, jobs, and consumers of the United States benefit from the inventions; Whereas the next great American invention could be among the 700,000 patent applications pending as of the date of approval of this resolution in the United States Patent and Trademark Office; Whereas the last changes to the United States patent system were made nearly 60 years ago; Whereas an updated patent system will unleash innovation and create jobs in the United States without adding to the deficit; Whereas every May, a new class of inventors is inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame; Whereas in the 112th Congress, a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives entitled the America Invents Act (H.R. 1249) to make reforms to the United States patent system; and Whereas the Senate on March 8, 2011, passed the bill entitled the America Invents Act (S. 23), which will make the first comprehensive reforms to the United States patent system in nearly 60 years: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate designates May 2011, as National Inventors Month.