Study of Underrepresented Classes Chasing Engineering and Science Success Act (SUCCESS Act)

132 STAT. 4158

PUBLIC LAW 115–273—OCT. 31, 2018

Public Law 115–273
115th Congress
An Act

Oct. 31, 2018
[H.R. 6758]

Study of
Underrepresented
Classes Chasing
Engineering and
Science Success
Act of 2018.
15 USC 1 note.

To direct the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director
of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, in consultation with the
Administrator of the Small Business Administration, to study and provide recommendations to promote the participation of women, minorities, and veterans
in entrepreneurship activities and the patent system, to extend by 8 years the
Patent and Trademark Office’s authority to set the amounts for the fees it charges,
and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Study of Underrepresented
Classes Chasing Engineering and Science Success Act of 2018’’
or the ‘‘SUCCESS Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) Patents and other forms of intellectual property are
important engines of innovation, invention, and economic
growth.
(2) Many innovative small businesses, which create over
20 percent of the total number of new jobs created in the
United States each year, depend on patent protections to
commercialize new technologies.
(3) Universities and their industry partners also rely on
patent protections to transfer innovative new technologies from
the laboratory or classroom to commercial use.
(4) Recent studies have shown that there is a significant
gap in the number of patents applied for and obtained by
women and minorities.
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that
the United States has the responsibility to work with the private
sector to close the gap in the number of patents applied for and
obtained by women and minorities to harness the maximum innovative potential and continue to promote United States leadership
in the global economy.

dkrause on DSKBC28HB2PROD with PUBLAWS

SEC. 3. REPORT.

(a) STUDY.—The Director, in consultation with the Administrator and any other head of an appropriate agency, shall conduct
a study that—
(1) identifies publicly available data on the number of
patents annually applied for and obtained by, and the benefits
of increasing the number of patents applied for and obtained

VerDate Sep 11 2014

10:08 Feb 12, 2019

Jkt 089139

PO 00273

Frm 00001

Fmt 6580

Sfmt 6581

E:\PUBLAW\PUBL273.115

PUBL273

PUBLIC LAW 115–273—OCT. 31, 2018

132 STAT. 4159

by women, minorities, and veterans and small businesses owned
by women, minorities, and veterans; and
(2) provides legislative recommendations for how to—
(A) promote the participation of women, minorities,
and veterans in entrepreneurship activities; and
(B) increase the number of women, minorities, and
veterans who apply for and obtain patents.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the Committees
on the Judiciary and Small Business of the House of Representatives and the Committees on the Judiciary and Small Business
and Entrepreneurship of the Senate a report on the results of
the study conducted under subsection (a).
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF FEE-SETTING AUTHORITY.

Section 10(i)(2) of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (Public
Law 112–29; 125 Stat. 319; 35 U.S.C. 41 note) is amended by
striking ‘‘7-year’’ and inserting ‘‘15-year’’.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the
Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(2) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ means a department,
agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government.
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

dkrause on DSKBC28HB2PROD with PUBLAWS

Approved October 31, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 6758:
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–966 (Comm. on the Judiciary).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
Sept. 25, considered and passed House.
Oct. 11, considered and passed Senate.
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2018):
Oct. 31, Presidential statement.

Æ

VerDate Sep 11 2014

10:08 Feb 12, 2019

Jkt 089139

PO 00273

Frm 00002

Fmt 6580

Sfmt 6580

E:\PUBLAW\PUBL273.115

PUBL273