[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1240
  U.S. INVENTORS THREATENED BY NEW REQUIREMENT OF GATT IMPLEMENTATION 
                              LEGISLATION

  (Mr. ROHRABACHER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, pardon me for talking about legislation 
for a few moments.
  Mr. Speaker, I am asking my colleagues today to join with almost 100 
Members of this body in cosponsoring H.R. 359. This legislation is 
aimed at preventing a crime against the American people. That crime was 
made possible by a provision, not required by GATT but snuck into the 
GATT implementation legislation, that will have the effect of 
decreasing the number of years of patent protection enjoyed by American 
citizens.
  H.R. 359 ensures that Americans will have the 17 years of protection 
that has traditionally been our right. Almost 100 Republicans, 
Democrats, protectionists, free-traders, liberals, and conservatives 
have joined together to prevent this rip-off that could see billions of 
dollars that should go to American inventors and investors instead 
ending up in the bank accounts of foreign and multinational 
corporations.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the Members to please join in cosponsoring H.R. 
359.

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