ICBA and other members of the Quality Patents Coalition expressed support for a one-year extension of the Patent and Trademark Office's program for re-examining business-method patents to prevent litigation.
The Covered Business Method review program is set to expire Sept. 15. In a joint letter, the groups thanked Sens. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) for pursuing an extension of the ICBA-supported program, which has decreased litigation and bolstered innovation.
ICBA strongly supported the CBM provision of the 2012 America Invents Act to protect community banks from meritless patent lawsuits brought by non-practicing entities, or patent trolls. ICBA will continue working with lawmakers on an extension.