USIJ Joins Patent Community in Signing Letter Urging End to USPTO Hiring Freeze

USIJ has joined a group of patent system stakeholders in signing a letter calling on President Trump to exempt the USPTO from the federal government hiring freeze. The letter notes that the USPTO is distinct from other federal government agencies in that it is funded entirely by fees from patent and trademark applications, pointing out that “if the hiring freeze were to apply to the USPTO, America’s inventors would essentially be paying a tax that doesn’t contribute to the operations of the USPTO but is diverted to general government spending.” The letter also asks Congress to permanently end the practice of USPTO fee diversion.