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Judiciary Committee Adopts Schneider Amendment on Veteran Entrepreneurship and U.S. Patent Protections

September 13, 2018

Today, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously adopted an amendment offered by Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) to help ensure veteran entrepreneurs' access to patent protections. The amendment was included as part of H.R. 6758, the Study of Underrepresented Classes Chasing Engineering and Science Success (SUCCESS) Act, which passed out of committee.

"From the start of their military service, the men and women defending our nation continually develop a broad array of skills and leadership experience that readily translate to make them excellent entrepreneurs," said Rep. Schneider. "When they return to civilian life, veterans deserve the opportunity to take full advantage of patents to protect their intellectual property. My amendment would help ensure veterans are not being left behind on these important protections."

Rep. Schneider's amendment adds veterans to a study by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to examine the participation of women and minorities in patent protections, and to provide recommendations on how to promote their entrepreneurship and participation in the patent system. The SUCCESS Act would require the USPTO, in consultation with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, to examine the issue and provide legislative recommendations to increase the number of women, minorities, and veterans who apply and obtain a patent. The bill also extends the USPTO's fee-setting authority – which is set to expire this year – for an additional 8 years.

The America Invents Act, passed in 2011, included a provision requiring the USPTO to establish methods to study the diversity of applications for patents, including if those individuals were woman, minorities, or veterans. Rep. Schneider's amendment ensures that the SUCCESS Act remains in line with this provision and includes veterans.

As a member of the House Small Business Committee, Rep. Schneider has worked to empower veterans with the skills to start their own business. In March 2018, he introduced the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act to codify the successful Boots to Business. This program helps transitioning service members, their spouses, and veterans develop the skills necessary to start their own small business. This program currently runs as a collaboration between the Small Business Administration's Office of Veterans Business Development and the Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program, and has successfully helped train more than 50,000 individuals to develop their own business plans.

The amendment text is available online.