    [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2025)]
    [Senate]
    [Pages S1426-S1427]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

         RECOGNIZING THE ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY MANAGERS
                                  ANNIVERSARY

     Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, as chairman of the Senate Judiciary
    Committee's Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, I rise to celebrate
    the Association of University Technology Managers' 50th anniversary.
      The Society of University Patent Administrators, known as SUPA, was
    first formed in 1975 to focus on how best to advance discoveries from
    university labs into the marketplace. In the decades since, SUPA was
    renamed the Association of University Technology Managers and now is
    known as AUTM. They championed the 1980 Bayh-Dole Act, which allowed
    universities and inventors to retain the intellectual property rights
    of discoveries made using Federal funding and helped technology
    transfer blossom.

    [[Page S1427]]

      Technology transfer has had a profound effect on the American economy
    and is estimated to have created more than 19,000 startup companies, up
    to 6.5 million jobs, and $2 trillion in economic impact since 1996.
    Technology transfer, via AUTM and the many inventors that they assist,
    help ensure that the United States remains the world leader in
    innovation. Therefore, on behalf of myself and Senator Chris Coons--my
    longtime partner on the IP Subcommittee--I recognize AUTM's 50th
    anniversary and commend the many technology transfer professionals on
    their successes to make our Nation safer, more vibrant, and
    healthier.

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