the AIA was the first patent reform bill in over 60 years and the most substantial reform of U.S. Patent law since the 1836 Patent Act.

The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act was a monumental achievement and the first significant legislative overhaul of the patent system in over 50 years.

I appreciate your holding this hearing on the implementation of the--I prefer to call it the Smith-Leahy America Invents Act.

Today we are holding a hearing on the implementation of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act.

As we implement these changes in the patent system, we need to ensure that the new post grant review and other proceedings provide simple, cost-effective methods for raising challenges.

The key reforms incorporated in the America Invents Act... are far too numerous to recite in the time I have.

I do want to acknowledge one that unified virtually all Members of this Committee, and that is full funding for the Patent and Trademark Office.

I am not aware of any other speakers on this amendment, so I would urge my colleagues to support the amendment. It is, as the chairman indicated and the ranking member indicated, bipartisan legislation that will improve the underlying bill…

At this time, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers).

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 14, after line 14 insert the following: ``(1) Availability.--The term `availability' means ensuring…

The bottom line, Mr. Chairman, is, we can have the most innovation, best protected intellectual property possible in the United States; but unless it is protected around the world in this international global environment in which we are…

If we don't send a hard message on these issues, I think we will find it increasingly difficult to combat it at a later stage when sort of the horse is out of the barn.

I thank the chairman for yielding and for his good work on this budget. Thomas Jefferson once wrote: To preserve the independence of the people, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between…

On rollcall No. 139, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Goodlatte requested clarification on the meaning of ``hazards not otherwise classified'' under the Global Harmonization rulemaking.

I understand the objective, but I don't know how you get to that objective if you categorize something as 'hazards not otherwise classified.'

Rep. Goodlatte requested clarification on the intent of a memorandum issued to OSHA field enforcement personnel concerning employer safety incentive programs.

If an individual wants to save money... they certainly can do that and it might be--may be less expensive for them to do that.

I have been doing this for 11 years and, boy, it would be nice to have 30 or 40 percent profit but the reality is is it is not.

I also want to join you in thanking all of the caregivers and individuals who operate businesses that afford people the opportunity to hire good workers.

You also bear the risk, too, don't...

I am here defending my caregivers. I am really here advocating for them, and I have lived it every single day.

This area of insurance is very complex unfortunately, but it also is an area where, because you can have participation by both the government with some of the cost of it and the producer with some of the cost, it may well be the fairest…

Thank you--thank you Mr. Chairman, and I want to thank you for bringing the Committee to this beautiful part of New York State and it's a pleasure to be here.

I have, in the last few Congresses, introduced legislation to reform the H-2A Program to change the adverse effect wage rate.