Ever feel like you’ve come up with a million-dollar idea that could make people’s lives easier or more productive? Unfortunately, American inventors are discovering that developing the next great idea here is not worth the trouble, and they are either giving up or looking abroad to places like China for protection.

Innovative new ideas have always fueled America’s dynamic economy. For courageous individuals willing to go out on a limb with their invention, our strong patent system has always provided the safety net — until now.

Over the last few years, a series of ill-conceived laws, harmful policies and bad court decisions have decimated the framework established by the Constitution to protect inventions. The purposeful demolition of America’s patent system, once the envy of the world, has left small players unable to protect their work.