[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 58 (Tuesday, May 3, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S2625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 161--DESIGNATING MAY 2011, AS ``NATIONAL INVENTORS 
                                MONTH''

  Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. Grassley, and Mr. Coons) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 161

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

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