United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 811 (105th)
Patent Term Restoration Act of 1997
Introduced
25 February 1997
Last action
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Status
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1444)
Sponsors
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Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
21 August 2025
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.
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Documents
3 official files
Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 25 February 1997
Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 25 February 1997
Introduced in House
summary · EN · 25 February 1997
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Sources
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- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/811
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/105/hr/811