PATNEWS: Alert!!! Looks like Senate taking up patent reform

• message forwarded by Karsten M. Self <kmself[_at_]ix.netcom.com> -----

    I just received the following alert that the Senate might be taking up the patent reform bill, with the same sort of rushed passage antics that were behind the passage of the House version.

Greg Aharonian
Internet Patent News Service
<srctran[_at_]world.std.com>

Friends,

    I have heard from several reliable sources that Senators Hatch (R-UT) and Leahy (D-VT) have "introduced" a patent bill in the U.S. Senate (no bill number is available at this time). The bill is scheduled to be marked up tomorrow -- Wed., Oct. 27 -- which means it could move fast, very fast, without any of us even seeing it.

    DON'T WASTE A MINUTE. On Wed. morning, pick up the phone and call your Senators' offices (there are 2 Senators for each state). Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask to be connected to your Senators' offices (if you don't know who your Senator is, just tell the operator which state you live in and they'll connect you).

• Urge your Senator to oppose a vote on any patent bill that is not exposed to public scrutiny.

    This bill could be attached to any "must pass" piece of legislation. The games played by the House to pass H.R. 1907 could pale in comparison to the efforts exerted by powerful forces to pass a bill in the Senate.

    There is absolutely no time for delay! As soon as I get a copy of the bill, I will disseminate it over the internet but right now, at 6 pm Eastern Time, I cannot locate a copy of the bill or even find out if there is a bill number (Congressional contacts in DC are working to get the information to me).

    This is another abuse of power that is becoming all too familiar and must be stopped.

Joanne Hayes-Rines, editor
Inventors' Digest Received on Wed Oct 27 1999 - 01:57:18 GMT