[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1948 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1948

  To abrogate the sovereign immunity of Indian tribes as a defense in 
                    inter partes review of patents.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 5, 2017

Mrs. McCaskill introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To abrogate the sovereign immunity of Indian tribes as a defense in 
                    inter partes review of patents.

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

SECTION 1. ABROGATION OF TRIBAL IMMUNITY IN CERTAIN PATENT CLAIMS.

    (a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act 
(25 U.S.C. 2703).
    (b) Abrogation of Immunity for Purposes of Inter Partes Review.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an Indian tribe may not 
assert sovereign immunity as a defense in a review that is conducted 
under chapter 31 of title 35, United States Code.
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