H.R. 4742: To amend title 35, United States Code, to allow the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office to waive statutory provisions governing patents and trademarks in certain emergencies.

109th Congress · introduced 2006-02-14 · Commerce · Latest: Received in the Senate.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2006-02-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To amend title 35, United States Code, to allow the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office to waive statutory provisions governing patents and trademarks in certain emergencies.

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Allows the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to waive statutory provisions governing the filing, processing, renewal, and maintenance of patents, trademark registrations, and applications for patents or registrations to the extent necessary to protect the rights and privileges of applicants and other persons affected by an emergency or a major disaster. Disallows judicial review of any decision not to exercise such waiver authority.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To amend title 35, United States Code, to allow the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office to waive statutory provisions governing patents and trademarks in certain emergencies.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 4742, A bill to amend title 35, United States Code, to allow the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office to waive statutory provisions governing patents and trademarks in certain emergencies (2006-03-27); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 4742, A bill to amend title 35, United States Code, to allow the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office to waive statutory provisions governing patents and trademarks in certain emergencies (2006-03-27)

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr4742.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>

Record fed-us-cong109-hr4742 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109