[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 30, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            VESSEL HULL DESIGN PROTECTION AMENDMENTS OF 2008

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 931, H.R. 6531.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 6531) to amend chapter 13 of title 17, United 
     States Code (relating to the vessel hull design protection), 
     to clarify the definitions of a hull and a deck.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. Presdient, I am pleased that the Senate today will 
pass the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act Amendments of 2008. The 
Senate unanimously passed a similar bill last year. This is a small, 
but important, piece of legislation and has bipartisan support. This 
updated version was introduced to address concerns of the Navy, and 
gives the Department of Defense full assurance that Government and 
defense designs will not be subject to unwarranted restrictions. I 
thank the cosponsors of the Senate's bill--Senator Cornyn, Senator 
Kohl, and Senator Whitehouse--for all their hard work and 
contributions.
  In 1998, Congress passed the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act to 
recognize the significant time, effort, and innovation that figure into 
ship design. Recent action in the courts has made it clear that in 
order to be effective, this law needs to be clarified and refined. This 
bill does exactly that, and no more, by clarifying the definition of 
``hull'' and ``deck.'' This ensures that the intellectual property 
rights of vessel hull designers will be protected.
  I am pleased the Senate will adopt this measure today, and I look 
forward to the President signing it into law.
  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements 
relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 6531) was ordered to a third reading, was read the 
third time, and passed.

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