Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4608 - Patent and Trademark Office Authorization Act

(House)
(Hughes (D) New Jersey and Moorhead (R) California)

The Administration supports reauthorization of the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) but strongly opposes section 4 of H.R. 4608. The Administration would strongly oppose enactment of H.R. 4608 if section 4 is not deleted.

Section 4 would have the effect of statutorily exempting the PTO from reductions in personnel for the next 5 years. This would seriously interfere with the ability of the Secretary of Commerce to manage the Department, and is inconsistent with the workforce reduction mandated by the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994.

The Administration also opposes the provision that would make the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks an Under Secretary of Commerce instead of an Assistant Secretary. Because the need for this provision has not been reviewed by the Administration or considered in congressional hearings, the Administration urges that the provision be deleted.