On the recordJune 23, 2008
I rise in support of H.R. 6344, the Responsive Government Act of 2008. Among its provisions, the Responsive Government Act of 2008 will make a minor but important amendment to the landmark Hatch-Waxman Act patent act of 1984. This act of 1984 has done much to make medicine available and more affordable for countless people in this country. Inadvertently though, in patent term restoration, there is an inflexible deadline provision which has the potential to limit the good that the act can do. Within H.R. 6344 is a provision which will grant discretion to the Patent and Trademark Office to excuse minor filing errors as is the case with other patents. This will ensure that needed medication that treats sometimes life-threatening illnesses, like Angiomax and others, will be more readily available, while continuing to ensure patient protections.
Source
govinfo.gov
