Political Quotes

“Madam Chair, as I rise to offer my amendment, I take just a moment of personal privilege to say that, whatever side Members are on on this issue, I know that Members want to protect the genius of America. I would like to thank my ranking member, Mr. Conyers, for that commitment, as he comes from one of the original genius proponents, and that is the auto industry that propelled America into the job creation of the century, and to the chairperson of the committee, Mr. Smith, who ventured out in efforts to provide opportunities for protecting, again, the opportunities for invention and genius. {time} 1440 My amendment speaks, I think, in particular to the vast population of startups and small businesses that are impacted by this legislation. In particular, it is a reinforcement of Congress' position that indicates that the patent system should promote industries to continue to develop new technologies that spur growth and create jobs across the country, which includes protecting the rights of small businesses and inventors from predatory behavior that could result in the cutting off of innovation. We recognize that small and minority businesses and women-owned businesses, which dominate the landscape of America, are really major job creators. Small business is thriving in my own home State of Texas, as well. There were 386,422 small employers in Texas in 2006, accounting for 98.7 percent of the State's employers and 46.8 of its private sector employment.…”