Senators Patrick Leahy and Chuck Grassley

The U.S. Senate Tuesday night adopted a resolution sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) designating May 2011 as National Inventors Month.

Inventors Digest Magazine is an original founder of National Inventors Month, traditionally celebrated in August.

The longest-running publication for independent inventors has worked behind the scenes since last year to move National Inventors Month to May.

The month of May better aligns National Inventors Month with the K-12 academic calendar, allowing more youth to discover the profound contributions inventors have made – and continue to make – to society, said Inventors Digest Content Director Mike Drummond.

“Osama bin Laden’s dead,” Drummond said, “innovation and America is alive and kicking.”

Moreover, every May, a new class of inventors is inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The 2011 induction ceremony is today in Washington, D.C.

Congress has moved forward this year with legislative efforts to help inventors and innovators by updating the nation’s patent system, a key driver of innovation. The America Invents Act was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate in March; the House Judiciary Committee recently voted overwhelmingly to send companion legislation to the full Senate for consideration.

The Leahy-Grassley resolution echoes efforts by Inventors Digest Magazine and others that have promoted National Inventors Month.

Statement of Sen. Leahy, Chairman Senate Judiciary Committee, On Passage Of A Resolution Designating May 2011 As National Inventors Month

I am pleased that the Senate has acted quickly to pass a resolution designating May 2011 as National Inventors Month. On May 4, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, will hold its 39th Annual National Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Our Nation’s inventors are the catalyst of our economy. Their inventions, when protected by a strong, efficient, and balanced patent system lead to new products and processes for American consumers and new jobs for American workers.

Earlier this year, the United States Senate passed overwhelmingly the America Invents Act, to ensure that our Nation’s inventors and innovators have a 21st century patent system that speeds high quality patents to market. The United States House Committee on the Judiciary recently voted to approve a very similar version of this legislation on a strong bipartisan vote.  I look forward to working together to get the America Invents Act to the President’s desk and providing our inventors with the legal landscape they need to flourish.

I appreciate the efforts of Inventors Digest Magazine and others who have promoted National Inventors Month.

Text of Resolution
Designating May 2011 as “National Inventors Month”

Whereas the first United States patent was issued in 1790 to Samuel Hopkins of the State of Vermont for a process to make better fertilizer;

Whereas American inventors have contributed to advances in life sciences, technology, and manufacturing;

Whereas the Constitution specifically provides for the granting of exclusive rights to inventors for their discoveries;

Whereas the United States patent system is intended to implement that constitutional imperative and incentivize inventions;

Whereas American inventors benefit from an up-to-date and efficient patent system and the economy, jobs, and consumers of the United States benefit from the inventions;

Whereas the next great American invention could be among the 700,000 patent applications pending as of the date of approval of this resolution in the United States Patent and Trademark Office;

Whereas the last changes to the United States patent system were made nearly 60 years ago;

Whereas an updated patent system will unleash innovation and create jobs in the United States without adding to the deficit;

Whereas every May, a new class of inventors is inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame;

Whereas in the 112th Congress, a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives entitled the “America Invents Act” (H.R. 1249) to make reforms to the United States patent system; and

Whereas the Senate on March 8, 2011, passed the bill entitled the “America Invents Act” (S. 23), which will make the first comprehensive reforms to the United States patent system in nearly 60 years: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the Senate designates May 2011 as “National Inventors Month.”

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