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S. 39: Protecting American Innovation and Development Act of 2021

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S. 39: Protecting American Innovation and Development Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-01-25 · Foreign Trade and International Finance · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-01-25 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

Protecting American Innovation and Development Act of 2021

Plain summary

Protecting American Innovation and Development Act of 2021 This bill authorizes import controls against certain foreign persons that infringe patents belonging to a U.S. person that are essential to a wireless communications standard. Specifically, the Department of Commerce must create a list of foreign entities that are citizens or nationals of a country of concern and that engage in the unlicensed use (i.e., infringement) of such essential wireless communications patents. A country of concern is a country wherein the persistent infringement of these patents poses a threat to (1) U.S. wireless communications research and development infrastructure, and (2) U.S. national security. Any foreign entity on this list, as well as specified persons that raise a national security concern with respect to wireless communications technology, may be subject to import controls (for example, a foreign entity may be required to post a bond before importing into the United States any goods that potentially infringe the wireless patent in question). Commerce must also establish a watch list of foreign entities from a country of concern that (1) are selling in the United States a product claiming to comply with a wireless standard, and (2) have not obtained a license (or taken certain actions to obtain that license) for patents essential to that wireless standard. An entity on either list may petition Commerce to be removed from that list on the basis that the conditions that led to its inclusion no longer exist.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Protecting American Innovation and Development Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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 (3)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Bond
A way to borrow money. A government sells bonds to raise money now and promises to pay it back with interest over time. Bonds repaid from taxes often need voter approval.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong117-s39 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117