[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2766 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2766

 To make improvements to the transitional program for covered business 
                method patents, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2013

Mr. Issa (for himself and Ms. Chu) introduced the following bill; which 
             was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To make improvements to the transitional program for covered business 
                method patents, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Stopping the Offensive Use of 
Patents Act'' or the ``STOP Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM FOR COVERED BUSINESS 
              METHOD PATENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 18 of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act 
(35 U.S.C. 321 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (3); and
            (2) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``a financial product 
        or'' and inserting ``an enterprise, a product, or a''.
    (b) Effective Date.--
            (1) Removal of sunset.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
        of subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the 
        enactment of this Act.
            (2) Definition of covered business method patent.--The 
        amendment made by paragraph (2) of subsection (a) shall apply 
        as if included in the enactment of the Leahy-Smith America 
        Invents Act.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF PRO BONO PROGRAM AT THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND 
              TRADEMARK OFFICE.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Office shall work with and 
support intellectual property law associations throughout the United 
States, within established pro bono programs, to assist financially 
under-resourced resellers, users, implementers, distributors, or 
customers of an allegedly infringing product or process.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Under 
        Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of 
        the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
            (2) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the United States 
        Patent and Trademark Office.
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