For Immediate Release
Press Contact: Drew Holden l [email protected] l 202-669-3128
This Legislation Will Help Provide Crucial Data Needed to Promote Diversity in Invention and Patenting
Washington, D.C. (April 29, 2021) — Today, Invent Together’s Executive Director Holly Fechner issued the following statement on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s passage of the bipartisan, bicameral Inventor Diversity for Economic Advancement (IDEA) Act:
“Invent Together applauds the Senate Judiciary Committee and the sponsors of the Inventor Diversity for Economic Advancement (IDEA) Act—Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC)—for passing the bill out of committee. We are grateful for the support of Chairman Durbin and Ranking Member Grassley.
Invent Together urges the full Senate to take up and pass the IDEA Act, so we can gather the data needed to build a more diverse and inclusive invention ecosystem in the United States. The IDEA Act is a crucial step toward ensuring that our nation’s inventors have equal access to the benefits of patenting, regardless of gender, race, or income. It will also help ensure that we use the full measure of our talent to compete globally.
We look forward to the House advancing the companion, H.R. 1273, which was introduced by Representatives Velazquez (D-NY) and Stivers (D-OH).”
About Invent Together
Invent Together is an initiative supported by organizations, universities, companies, and other stakeholders dedicated to understanding the gender, race, income, and other diversity gaps in invention and patenting and supporting public policy and private efforts to close them.