Coalition Statement on
Senator Kyl's Patent Reform Amendment

Washington, D.C. — The Coalition for 21st Century Patent Reform, a group of nearly 50 companies from a variety of industry sectors, released the following statement after Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) introduced his amendment on patent reform.

"The members of the Coalition for 21st Century Patent Reform thank Senator Kyl for his unwavering commitment to a balanced and fair approach to patent reform. Patent laws are vital to the United States' competitiveness and prosperity, and we applaud his ongoing efforts to insist that patent reform legislation not sacrifice incentives and protections for innovation.

Our Coalition consists of nearly 50 companies from across the economic spectrum. Patents matter to us. We invest tens of billions of dollars annually in research and development activities. These activities result in innovative products, made by American workers, that improve and enhance the lives of people. Because we depend on patent laws to justify our investment in innovation, we support patent reform — as long as it is fair and balanced. Senator Kyl's amendment goes a long way toward achieving that goal, and we appreciate his commitment to stand against legislation that would weaken rather than strengthen the patent system.

Since this issue will not be resolved during the 110th Congress, the members of our Coalition stand ready to work with Members of Congress and all affected stakeholders next year to improve our patent system in a manner that will allow us to continue fostering innovation and employment in the United States, avoid diminishing the value of valid patents and encourage our trading partners to always respect laws protecting intellectual property."

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