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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 811 (105th)

Patent Term Restoration Act of 1997

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

25 February 1997

Last action

14 April 1997 · Introduced

Status

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1444)

Sponsors

Rep. Rohrabacher, Dana [R-CA-48], Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9], Rep. Campbell, Tom [R-CA-15], Rep. Hunter, Duncan [R-CA-52], Rep. Forbes, Michael P. [D-NY-1], Rep. Abercrombie, Neil [D-HI-1], Rep. Ackerman, Gary L. [D-NY-5], Rep. Barr, Bob [R-GA-7], Rep. Bartlett, Roscoe G. [R-MD-6], Rep. Burton, Dan [R-IN-5], Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41], Rep. Chenoweth-Hage, Helen [R-ID-1], Rep. Condit, Gary A. [D-CA-18], Rep. Cox, Christopher [R-CA-48], Rep. Cunningham, Randy (Duke) [R-CA-50], Rep. Davis, Tom [R-VA-11], Rep. Dellums, Ronald V. [D-CA-9], Rep. Doolittle, John T. [R-CA-4], Rep. Duncan, John J., Jr. [R-TN-2], Rep. Foley, Mark [R-FL-16], Rep. Gillmor, Paul E. [R-OH-5], Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC], Rep. Hansen, James V. [R-UT-1], Rep. Hayworth, J. D. [R-AZ-5], Rep. Largent, Steve [R-OK-1], Rep. Mascara, Frank [D-PA-20], Rep. Ney, Robert W. [R-OH-18], Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-9], Rep. Paul, Ron [R-TX-14], Rep. Royce, Edward R. [R-CA-39], Rep. Sanford, Mark [R-SC-1], Rep. Schiff, Steven [R-NM-1], Rep. Smith, Nick [R-MI-7], Rep. Stearns, Cliff [R-FL-6], Rep. Tiahrt, Todd [R-KS-4], Rep. Traficant, James A., Jr. [D-OH-17], Rep. Walsh, James T. [R-NY-25], Rep. Wamp, Zach [R-TN-3], Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43], Rep. Bonior, David E. [D-MI-10], Rep. McDade, Joseph M. [R-PA-10], Rep. Ballenger, Cass [R-NC-10], Rep. Cramer, Robert E. (Bud), Jr. [D-AL-5], Rep. Danner, Pat [D-MO-6], Rep. Gibbons, Jim [R-NV-2], Rep. LaTourette, Steven C. [R-OH-14], Rep. McIntosh, David M. [R-IN-2], Rep. Pombo, Richard W. [R-CA-11]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

21 August 2025

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Summary

Patent Term Restoration Act of 1997 - Amends provisions of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act that revise Federal patent law to provide that a patent term shall be the later of 17 years from the date the patent is granted or 20 years from the date the application was filed in the United States. Provides that if the application contains a reference to the earlier application, the term shall be 20 years from the date the earliest application was filed. Requires the term of a patent that is in force or results from an application filed within six months after the Uruguay Round Agreements Act enactment date to be the term provided in this Act. Revises Federal patent law requirements for confidentiality of patent applications to set out: (1) the special circumstances under which such applications can be made public; or (2) in the case of a patent application for an invention for which the applicant intends to file or has filed for a patent in a foreign country, the limited data which the Commissioner of Patents may disclose. Authorizes an applicant to petition the Commissioner of the Patent and Trademark Office to review a determination to publish a patent application. Prohibits the Commissioner from publishing an application prior to the completion of the review.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 25 February 1997

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 25 February 1997

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H620-624)

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 25 February 1997

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 25 February 1997

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 26 February 1997

    Committee

    Subcommittee Hearings Held.

    Source: Committee

  6. 26 February 1997

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property.

    Source: Committee

  7. 27 February 1997

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H682)

    Source: IntroReferral

  8. 5 March 1997

    Committee

    Tabled by Subcommittee.

    Source: Committee

  9. 5 March 1997

    Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  10. 5 March 1997

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H742-743)

    Source: IntroReferral

  11. 10 April 1997

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1414)

    Source: IntroReferral

  12. 14 April 1997

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1444)

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

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Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 25 February 1997

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  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 25 February 1997

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 25 February 1997

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Sponsors

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Related records

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Sources

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