Today, Representatives Tony Cárdenas and Blake Farenthold reintroduced the “Trade Protection Not Troll Protection Act.” The bill is a targeted patent reform measure dealing specifically with the International Trade Commission, a federal agency tasked with excluding from importation products that infringe U.S. patents or copyrights. The bill strengthens the ITC’s duty to protect the public interest, and prevents abusive litigation by patent assertion entities before the ITC.
The following may be attributed to Charles Duan, Director of the Patent Reform Project at Public Knowledge:
“We applaud the reintroduction of the Trade Protection Not Troll Protection Act. The ITC has become an increasingly popular venue for patent disputes due to its strong power to exclude products at the border. But that strong exclusionary power invites abusive practices that damage American businesses and consumers. We welcome this bill’s efforts to curb opportunities for abusive litigation before the ITC.
“The ITC has become recently known in the news for its troubling and so-far failed attempt to grant itself authority over digital data transmissions. We are glad that this bill continues a long-needed conversation about the role of the International Trade Commission in the patent system. We look forward to working with members of Congress and other policymakers as this bill moves forward.”
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.