U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) recently presented bicameral, bipartisan legislation to require the voluntary collection of demographic information for patent applications.
“There are more than 11.6 million businesses owned by women nationwide, and yet, only a fifth of patents list female inventors,” Rep. Stivers said. “We know that intellectual property rights make our businesses stronger and more successful, and we know that women-owned businesses generate over $1.7 trillion in sales — ensuring that women and minorities are utilizing the patent system just makes sense for our economy.”
To help close the gap faced by women, minorities and others when procuring U.S. patent rights, Sen. Tillis on July 25 cosponsored the Inventor Diversity for Economic Advancement (IDEA) Act of 2019, S. 2281, with U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), while Rep. Stivers cosponsored the same-named H.R. 4075 with U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY).
If enacted, the measure would direct the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to collect demographic data — including gender, race, military or veteran status, and income level — from patent applicants on a voluntary basis.
The proposal also would require the USPTO to make the data publicly available so researchers could conduct independent analyses on the related patent gaps.
“As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, we recently held a hearing on the underrepresentation of women and minority inventors applying for patents in the United States,” Sen. Tillis said.
And despite women and minority inventors making “some of the most significant inventions in this country’s history,” he said, a recent USPTO study found that just 21 percent of all U.S. patents list a woman as an inventor.
“We must work to close this gap to ensure all Americans have the opportunity to innovate, and I am proud to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to get a better understanding of the background of individuals who apply for patents with the USPTO,” said Sen. Tillis.
Rep. Stivers added: “I’m proud to work with this bipartisan coalition to encourage IDEAs from all walks of life, because you never know where the next big thing will come from.”