[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 230 (Friday, November 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 72453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28254]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTO-C-2008-0056]


National Medal of Technology and Innovation Nomination Evaluation 
Committee Meeting

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office.

ACTION: Notice of closed meeting.

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SUMMARY: The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI) 
Nomination Evaluation Committee will meet in closed session on Monday, 
December 15, 2008. The primary purpose of the meeting is the discussion 
of relative merits of persons and companies nominated for the NMTI 
award.

DATES: The meeting will convene Monday, December 15, 2008, at 9 a.m., 
and adjourn at 1 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the United States Patent and 
Trademark Office, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Lo, Program Manager, National 
Medal of Technology and Innovation Program, United States Patent and 
Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450, telephone 
(571) 272-7640, or by electronic mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that the NMTI Nomination 
Evaluation Committee, United States Patent and Trademark Office, will 
meet at the United States Patent and Trademark Office campus in 
Alexandria, Virginia.
    The NMTI Nomination Evaluation Committee was established in 
accordance with the provisions of the NMTI Nomination Evaluation 
Committee's charter and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The NMTI 
Nomination Evaluation Committee meeting will be closed to the public in 
accordance with section 552b(c)(4), (6) and (9)(B) of Title 5, United 
States Code, because it will involve discussion of relative merits of 
persons and companies nominated for the NMTI. Public disclosure of this 
information would likely frustrate implementation of the NMTI program 
because premature publicity about candidates under consideration for 
the NMTI award, who may or may not ultimately receive the award, would 
be likely to discourage nominations for the award. The Secretary of 
Commerce is responsible for recommending to the President prospective 
NMTI recipients. The NMTI Nomination Evaluation Committee makes its 
recommendations for the NMTI candidates to the Secretary of Commerce, 
who in turn makes recommendations to the President for final selection. 
NMTI Nomination Evaluation Committee members are drawn from both the 
public and private sectors and are appointed by the Secretary for 
three-year terms, with eligibility for one reappointment. The NMTI 
Nomination Evaluation Committee members are composed of distinguished 
experts in the fields of science, technology, business and patent law. 
The General Counsel formally determined on November 21, 2008, pursuant 
to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, that the 
meeting may be closed because Committee members are concerned with 
matters that are within the purview of 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4), (6) and 
(9)(B). Due to closure of the meeting, copies of the minutes of the 
meeting will not be available. A copy of the determination is available 
for public inspection at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

    Dated: November 21, 2008.
Jon W. Dudas,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. E8-28254 Filed 11-26-08; 8:45 am]
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