United States · Law · HR
H.R. 3531 (102nd)
Patent and Trademark Office Authorization Act of 1991
Introduced
9 October 1991
Last action
10 December 1991 · President
Status
Became Public Law No: 102-204.
Sponsors
Rep. Hughes, William J. [D-NJ-2], Rep. Moorhead, Carlos J. [R-CA-22]
Subjects
Taxation, Education, Budget
Source updated
25 September 2021
Summary
Patent and Trademark Office Authorization Act of 1991 - Authorizes appropriations to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Office) for FY 1992. Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to: (1) repeal the 69 percent surcharge on all Office fees; and (2) require the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks to establish such surcharges (to meet deficit reduction goals) for FY 1991 through FY 1995. Allows appropriations to remain available until expended. Amends Federal patent law to direct the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) to furnish certain congressional committees with a financial status report on Office activities. Directs the Commissioner to charge specified patent fees. Authorizes the Commissioner to adjust such fees annually to reflect the Consumer Price Index. Requires the Commissioner to maintain, for use by the public, collections of United States patents, foreign patent documents, and United States trademark registrations. Prohibits the imposition of fees directly for use of either the collections, or for use of the public patent or trademark search rooms or libraries. Authorizes the Commissioner to establish reasonable fees for access by the public to automated search systems of the Patent and Trademark Office. Requires the Commissioner to submit an annual status report to the Congress on the Office's automated search systems and upon public access to such systems. Permits the Commissioner to charge reasonable fees for such access. Prohibits the Commissioner from entering into exchange agreements with respect to automatic data processing resources during FY 1992. Exempts from such prohibition agreements relating to data for automation programs entered into with an international entity or foreign government. Authorizes the Commissioner to indemnify Office personnel who participated in the Office's Law School Tuition Assistance Program against tax liability incurred as a result of program payments made to law schools in specified tax years.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
9 October 1991
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
9 October 1991
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
9 October 1991
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
19 November 1991
Reported
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Source: Committee
19 November 1991
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
25 November 1991
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
25 November 1991
Passed
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Source: Floor
25 November 1991
Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Source: Floor
25 November 1991
Floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Source: Floor
25 November 1991
Floor
Considered under suspension of the rules.
Source: Floor
25 November 1991
Floor
Mr. Hughes moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Source: Floor
25 November 1991
Calendars
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 234.
Source: Calendars
25 November 1991
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 102-382.
Source: Committee
25 November 1991
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 102-382.
Source: Committee
26 November 1991
Introduced
Received in the Senate, read twice.
Source: IntroReferral
27 November 1991
Passed
Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
27 November 1991
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
27 November 1991
Floor
Pursuant to the provisions of S. Con. Res. 85, enrollment corrections have been made.
Source: Floor
2 December 1991
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
3 December 1991
Floor
Presented to President.
Source: Floor
3 December 1991
President
Presented to President.
Source: President
3 December 1991
Floor
Measure Signed in Senate.
Source: Floor
10 December 1991
Became law
Became Public Law No: 102-204.
Source: President
10 December 1991
Became law
Signed by President.
Source: BecameLaw
10 December 1991
President
Signed by President.
Source: President
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Engrossed in House · undated · Official file
- Enrolled Bill · undated · Official file
- Introduced in House · undated · Official file
- Received in Senate · undated · Official file
- Reported in House · undated · Official file
Documents
8 official files
Reported in House (text)
Reported in House (text)
Reported in House · EN
Received in Senate (text)
Received in Senate · EN
Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN
Enrolled Bill (text)
Enrolled Bill · EN
Engrossed in House (text)
Engrossed in House · EN
Public Law (PDF)
Public Law · EN · 11 December 1991
Passed House amended
summary · EN · 25 November 1991
Introduced in House
summary · EN · 9 October 1991
Sponsors
- Rep. Hughes, William J. [D-NJ-2] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Moorhead, Carlos J. [R-CA-22] · R · Sponsor
- · hsju00 · Standing
Related records
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/102nd-congress/house-bill/3531
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/102/hr/3531
- us · 102-hr-3531 · source updated 25 September 2021