SIIA welcomes today’s announcement by the Obama Administration that it will make improvements to the patent system to strengthen the quality of the patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and foster innovation and to combat litigation abuse by patent trolls.  SIIA is especially pleased that the Administration has issued a renewed call for Congress to enact meaningful patent litigation abuse legislation.

Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Administration is committed to protecting American jobs and driving innovation by making necessary improvements to the patent system.  Patent litigation abuse stifles innovation and damages our economy, and it is straining the patent system. The Administration today recognized that the Patent and Trademark Office needs more and better tools to improve the quality of the patents it issues and to protect consumers, retailers and other businesses from the underhanded tactics of patent trolls.

Most significantly, SIIA supports the Administration’s renewed call for Congress to pass meaningful legislation this year. SIIA urges the Administration to encourage Chairman Leahy to work with Senators Cornyn and Grassley and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive and effective legislation that mirrors the Innovation Act passed by the House in December.

Mark MacCarthy, Senior Vice President, Public Policy at SIIA, directs SIIA’s public policy initiatives in the areas of intellectual property enforcement, information privacy, cybersecurity, cloud computing and the promotion of educational technology. Follow Mark on Twitter at @Mark_MacCarthy.