[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 18, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5073-S5074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION PROTECTION ACT OF 2017

  Mr. ROUNDS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 347, S. 791.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 791) to amend the Small Business Act to expand 
     intellectual property education and training for small 
     businesses, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. ROUNDS. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read 
a third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read 
the third time.
  Mr. ROUNDS. I know of no further debate on the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there is no further debate, the bill having 
been read the third time, the question is, Shall the bill pass?
  The bill (S. 791) was passed, as follows:

                                 S. 791

       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 ``Small Business Innovation 
     Protection Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act--
       (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
     the SBA;
       (2) the term ``Director'' means the Under Secretary of 
     Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO;
       (3) the term ``SBA'' means the Small Business 
     Administration;
       (4) the term ``small business concern'' has the meaning 
     given the term in section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 632(a));
       (5) the term ``small business development center'' means a 
     center described in section 21 of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 648); and
       (6) the term ``USPTO'' means the United States Patent and 
     Trademark Office.

     SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) the USPTO and the SBA are positioned to--
       (A) build upon several successful intellectual property and 
     training programs aimed at small business concerns; and
       (B) increase the availability of and the participation in 
     the programs described in subparagraph (A) across the United 
     States; and
       (2) any education and training program administered by the 
     USPTO and the SBA should be scalable so that the program is 
     able to reach more small business concerns.

     SEC. 4. SBA AND USPTO PARTNERSHIPS.

       (a) In General.--Beginning not later than 180 days after 
     the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in 
     consultation with the Director, shall develop partnership 
     agreements that--
       (1) provide for the--
       (A) development of high-quality training, including in-
     person or modular training sessions, for small business 
     concerns relating to domestic and international protection of 
     intellectual property;

[[Page S5074]]

       (B) leveraging of training materials already developed for 
     the education of inventors and small business concerns; and
       (C) participation of a nongovernmental organization; and
       (2) provide training--
       (A) through electronic resources, including Internet-based 
     webinars; and
       (B) at physical locations, including--
       (i) a small business development center; and
       (ii) the headquarters or a regional office of the USPTO.

     SEC. 5. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.

       Section 21(c)(3) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     648(c)(3)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (S), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in subparagraph (T), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(U) in conjunction with the United States Patent and 
     Trademark Office, providing training--
       ``(i) to small business concerns relating to--
       ``(I) domestic and international intellectual property 
     protections; and
       ``(II) how the protections described in subclause (I) 
     should be considered in the business plans and growth 
     strategies of the small business concerns; and
       ``(ii) that may be delivered--
       ``(I) in person; or
       ``(II) through a website.''.
  Mr. ROUNDS. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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