URGENT ALERT!

URGENT -- 1999 Patent Legislation
May 23, 1999

Friends,

It appears that the 1999 version of patent "reform" legislation may be heading to the floor of the House this week. There have been many changes but the bill, in its entirety, is unacceptable. The major, glaring flaw is PRIOR USER RIGHTS which, by its very definition, undermines the U.S. patent system. That is not exaggeration -- that's just the way it is. (Prior User Rights is now subterfuged as "First to Invent Defense." Just remember, "A rose by any other name. . ." only the smell from this ain't sweet.)

A draft of the 96 page bill is available at " Rohabacher turns on inventors " (http://alliance-dc.org/106/rohabach.html). From the title of the page, you can tell that one of the inventors' strongest supporters in previous years, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, has changed his position. Because he is identified as a "friend of the independent inventor," his support of this bill will lead many members in Congress to "assume" that inventors support the legislation. Let them know you do not!!!

Twenty members of Congress have voiced their opposition in a letter to the Speaker of the House (it follows); they are concerned that, once again, there is a "push" to rush through this vitally important legislation without giving it the deliberation it deserves. As you can see, they represent both sides of the aisle - Democrats and Republicans. This is not a partisan issue -- it is an economic issue and that's what it's always been.

You -- the "Davids" of America -- have stood up against the corporate Goliaths for eight years. Your elected representatives have listened and they will do so again. To find the address for your Representative, go to Contacting the Congress (http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/). Attached as a text file is a simple explanation of Prior User Rights; the complete text of the attached article will be on line at Inventors' Digest (www.inventorsdigest.com) by the end of business on Monday the 24th.

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