Please stop the House of Representatives from passing a companion bill to the Senate's America Invent Act, formally called the Patent Reform Act of 2011 (S. 23), which changes our FAIR "First-to-Invent" system to an UNFAIR "First-to-File" system.The Senate just passed the America Invents Act, we need to act quickly and with a strong voice in order to influence the House of Representatives as they prepare a bill similar to the Senate bill.

Our current system, awards patent rights (ownership rights) to the first person (applicant) that came up with the idea --FAIR.    The  "First-to-File" system  gives patent rights (ownership rights) to the first person (applicant) that files the patent -- UNFAIR ! 

Our current system is not broke and doesn't need fixing. It has been protecting inventors for over a century. It is a fair and equitable system that protects inventors of all sizes and financial means; allowing them to develop new innovations and technologies without the threat of having their patent rights (ownership rights) lost or stolen.

Stop the Patent Reform Act of 2011 !   Changing to a "First-to-File" is a Catch-22, and instead of protecting small inventors, it actually makes them more vulnerable.   Many small inventors with limited resources seek technical help from larger companies while they are developing or refining their inventions. If inventors need money to help finance the patent process, which can cost thousands of dollars, they meet with prospective investors: individuals, venture capitalists, or other businesses to discuss their inventions and solicit funds. Also, during this time, many small inventors realize they do not have the ability or resources necessary to commercialize their inventions; and they look to sell their inventions to companies who may be interested in bringing their inventions to market. Under a "First-to-Invent" system, small inventors may safely engage in all these activities for up to one year ---after they have disclosed their inventions---because they can prove they own their ideas. 

Under a "First-to-File" “It’s first come first served” --small inventors have no real protection. In fact, small inventors will be vulnerable every time they seek technical or financial assistance; in fear that someone or some company will steal their ideas, and file a patent before they can.  What's to stop well-financed technically advanced companies from rapidly copying their ideas and filing for patents? It’s now who beats who. Sure a small inventor may attempt to challenge a company's claim to patent rights, but litigation is costly ---too costly for most small poorly funded inventors. Ultimately, this means that cash-rich Big Business and their patent attorneys will now have the legal right to steal inventions from small poorly funded American inventors who may come to them for technical or financial assistance.

Stop the Patent Reform Act of 2011 (S. 23) from harming inventors with limited resources. This bill removes all protection for inventors wishing to sell their inventions or for those investors “who make public use” of their inventions, which they may have to do as a way to find investors.

Protecting the work of authors and inventors is a Constitutional right. Article 1 Section 8 of our Constitution “ Congress shall have the power …. to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.” This section clearly charges Congress with the explicit task of promoting the advancement of science and useful arts, by protecting the works of all inventors and not just the ones who are the biggest and the most influential. Passage of this bill will hinder or may even reduce the development of new innovations, as inventors, who invest their personal time and their own money, are placed in a potentially dangerous position of having their inventions stolen every time they are forced to seek help – either financially or technically.

Please tell Congress to protect the patent rights of all inventors -- be they large or small.

Passage of the Patent Reform Act of 2011 will dilute the ownership rights of inventors. If this can happen, who's next? Authors, composers, artists, playwrights, lyricists, and poets, depend upon copywright laws. Do you really trust Congress to protect these rights? They are puppets whose strings are pulled by, and words reflect those most powerful and influential.

Please sign the petition. Together we can defeat this bill and preserve our rights and freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution.

Thank you for your consideration.

A. Silver