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Committee member says USPTO has been 'drawn squarely' into politics, criticizes cancellation of Southeast outreach office
Summary
A member of the House Judiciary Committee accused the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office of partisan conduct at a hearing, citing low morale after layoffs, moves undermining collective bargaining, exploration of a patent tax, and the cancellation of a planned Southeast regional office in Atlanta.
A member of the House Judiciary Committee sharply criticized the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and its director at a committee hearing, saying the agency has been "drawn squarely" into partisan politics and that recent decisions have weakened the agency's mission and access for regional innovators.
The committee member said the USPTO's workplace morale "has plummeted" under the current administration and attributed that drop in part to agency layoffs and efforts that, in the speaker's view, undermined employees' collective bargaining rights. "When…
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