[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H2503-H2504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PATENTS FOR HUMANITY PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT ACT

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 7259) to allow acceleration certificates awarded 
under the Patents for Humanity Program to be transferable.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7259

       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 ``Patents for Humanity Program 
     Improvement Act''.

     SEC. 2. TRANSFERABILITY OF ACCELERATION CERTIFICATES.

       (a) In General.--A holder of an acceleration certificate 
     issued pursuant to the Patents for Humanity Program 
     (established in the notice entitled ``Humanitarian Awards 
     Pilot Program'', published at 77 Fed. Reg. 6544 (February 8, 
     2012)), or any successor thereto, of the United States Patent 
     and Trademark Office, may transfer (including by sale) the 
     entitlement to such acceleration certificate to another 
     person.
       (b) Requirement.--An acceleration certificate transferred 
     under subsection (a) shall be subject to any other applicable 
     limitations under the notice entitled ``Humanitarian Awards 
     Pilot Program'', published at 77 Fed. Reg. 6544 (February 8, 
     2012), or any successor thereto.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Johnson) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cline) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7259, which strengthens the 
U.S. Patent and Trademark Offices' Patents for Humanity Awards 
competition by allowing the competition's prize to be transferable to 
third parties, introduced by my colleague, Lucy McBath, the 
Representative from the great State of Georgia.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7259 has bipartisan support. As chairman of the 
Committee on the Judiciary's Intellectual Property Subcommittee, I am 
proud to cosponsor this legislation alongside Representative Martha 
Roby, ranking member of the subcommittee, and our subcommittee 
colleague, Representative Ben Cline.
  Intellectual property and innovation are what help our country 
flourish. In Congress, we have been committed to ensuring that the 
intellectual property system incentivizes innovation to the greatest 
extent possible.
  Through its support for the USPTO's Patents For Humanity Program, 
this bill accomplishes that goal. And I want to read a little bit from 
the USPTO.gov website about the Patents for Humanity Program.
  How do patents help improve lives globally through inspired 
innovators making a difference? And I will quote here: ``Patents for 
Humanity is the USPTO's awards program for those using game-changing 
technology to address global challenges. It provides business 
incentives for patent holders who find ways to reach underserved 
communities. These success stories can help others learn how to harness 
innovation for human progress. All patent holders can participate,'' it 
says.
  Since 2012, the program has given 21 awards, not just to big 
companies, but also small and medium-sized enterprises, startups, 
universities, and non-profits. Together, their work has improved 
millions of lives around the globe. In addition to receiving public 
recognition of their work, winners will be issued certificates 
entitling them to expedite select proceedings at the USPTO.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe we have a list of some of those winners thus 
far, and I would love to read those names into the Record.
  The Patents for Humanity Program highlights the ways that innovation 
and intellectual property can help solve global humanitarian 
challenges. Past award recipients have created low-cost phototherapy 
devices to treat infants with jaundice and distributed chemical packets 
that removed contaminants from drinking water, to name just a few. 
Winners receive a certificate that allows them, as I said, to 
accelerate certain patent matters at the USPTO.
  Mr. Speaker, I would read into the Record the names of some award 
winners to you:
  In 2018, Russell Crawford won the award for creating tools for low-
cost drilling of water wells to reach deep aquifers free from soil 
contaminants.
  The organization, Brooklyn Bridge to Cambodia, Incorporated, won in 
2018 for creating an affordable rice planting device that helps 
Cambodian farmers improve their crop yields and which minimizes the 
number of farmers--mostly women--who have to work in the most 
exhausting and unhealthy conditions.
  Also, the firm, Solight Design, won the award in 2018 for designing a 
portable solar light that has been distributed to over 200,0000 people 
worldwide, including many in refugee camps.
  Also, the firm, Sanivation, LLC, for designing a waste processing 
plant that transforms human waste into sanitary briquettes that replace 
wood and charcoal for heating and cooking, with four plants serving 
10,000 people in Kenya by the end of the year.
  And also, in 2018, Because International won the award for 
distributing 180,000 pairs of resizable shoes in over 95 countries, 
with local manufacturing taking place in Ethiopia, and plans for Haiti 
and Kenya.
  And there are a number of others that have won this prestigious 
Patents for Humanity Award. All the way back to 2013, American 
Standard, SunPower Corporation, Nutriset, Golden Rice, GRIT: Global 
Research Innovation and Technology. And also, Nokero, DuPont Pioneer. 
And last but not least, Intermark Partners Strategic Management, LLP.
  Mr. Speaker, all should be commended for winning this prestigious 
award and contributing to the betterment of humanity.
  Mr. Speaker, under H.R. 7259, award winners will be able to transfer 
this acceleration certificate to third parties. This will strengthen 
participation in the Patents for Humanity Program and further encourage 
the use of innovation and the intellectual property for critical 
humanitarian purposes.

[[Page H2504]]

  The USPTO's program and this legislation reflect our country's strong 
commitment to intellectual property and our understanding of the 
important ways that innovation can do good and solve hard problems.
  I am pleased to cosponsor this legislation, which is sponsored, as I 
said, by my colleague, Lucy McBath from Georgia's Sixth Congressional 
District. And I am pleased to cosponsor this legislation, and I urge my 
colleagues to support its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair for his leadership and for being a 
patron of the bill. And Congresswoman McBath, from the Sixth District 
of Virginia to the Sixth District of Georgia, I want to commend her for 
her leadership on this important issue.
  Mr. Speaker, American technological leadership is critical to the 
health and competitiveness of our economy and to the well-being of 
people throughout the world. American researchers and biotechnology 
companies are currently leading the charge for a COVID-19 vaccine. 
Patents are a key factor in our technological leadership by providing 
incentives for innovation.
  Since 2012, the Patents for Humanity Program has helped the U.S. 
patent system encourage such innovation in key areas, such as in 
medicine, nutrition, and energy.

                              {time}  1915

  Mr. Speaker, the chairman eloquently listed several of the past award 
winners and the description of the acceleration certificate that they 
have been awarded that encourages them to keep innovating by providing 
for the acceleration of a patent application's examination at the PTO.
  This bill supports the admirable work of the Patents for Humanity 
Program, the inventors it promotes, and ensures that transferability of 
their certificates empowers the inventors who are recognized by this 
program and grants them greater flexibility to bring their inventions 
to market and continue working toward the next great invention.
  I am proud to cosponsor this bill and support the inventors powering 
technological leadership today and in the future. I urge my colleagues 
to support this bipartisan measure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), the sponsor of 
this legislation.
  Mrs. McBATH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and good 
friend from the great Peach State of Georgia, Representative Johnson.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, the Patents for Humanity 
Program Improvement Act. I was pleased to introduce this bipartisan 
legislation with my Republican colleague, Congressman Cline. We are 
also joined in leading the bill by my good friend, Congressman Johnson, 
who is the chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, 
Intellectual Property, and the Internet, and Congresswoman Roby of 
Alabama, who is the ranking member of the subcommittee. I thank each of 
them for their support and for their leadership.
  I am also thankful for the work of Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator 
Chuck Grassley, each former chairs of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 
who have long championed this legislation in a bipartisan effort in the 
Senate.
  This bill takes two important steps to promote innovation. First, it 
codifies the Patents for Humanity Program of the U.S. Patent and 
Trademark Office, a program that recognizes those who are using 
creative thinking to address our world's biggest challenges.
  Patents for Humanity winners receive acceleration certificates that 
enable them to get expedited review of their next big idea when they 
bring it to the USPTO.
  The second part of this bill strengthens the Patents for Humanity 
Program by making those acceleration certificates transferrable. This 
makes the prize more meaningful to the recipients, whether they are 
ready to tackle a new challenge or pursue investments that can help 
them bring their innovation and their invention to those that are in 
need.
  I am so very proud to be able to support the Patents for Humanity 
Program. It recognizes the achievements of innovators from across the 
public and private sectors, including start-ups, established companies, 
universities and nonprofits.
  It is truly important that we uplift those who use their skills to 
develop technology and ideas that benefit our world. This legislation 
encourages inventors to pursue lifesaving ideas and solutions to the 
world's global humanitarian challenges.
  Its passage today is a wonderful example of all of us coming together 
in a bipartisan manner to help solve problems that impact millions 
across the globe. And I am proud that we can do our part to expand this 
program and give innovators more freedom to support one another.
  I thank the scientists, researchers, engineers, inventors, and 
problem-solvers who look for ways that they can improve the lives of 
others. From curing disease to ending hunger, to raising the quality of 
life for people across the globe, these innovators are truly doing good 
work.
  I thank them for their efforts, and I urge my colleagues to support 
them by supporting this legislation.
  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the patron and thank the chairman 
and ranking member of the subcommittee and the full Judiciary Committee 
for their work on this bipartisan bill, an important measure which 
supports the inventors powering American technological leadership today 
and in the future. I urge its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7259 is a straightforward but important bill that 
will encourage additional innovations that address humanitarian 
challenges. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 7259.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________