REF ID:A4161587 

[COMMITTEE PRINT1 

MAY 24, 1952 

82oCONGRESS 2oSESSION H R 7316 

• • 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAHCH 31, 1052 

Mr .. CF.LLEH introduced the following bill; "'hich was referred to the Co1nmittee on the Judiciary 

[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL . . 'L1o au'thorize the establishment of an lttYentions lnvent·ive Contr·ibntions Awards Board within the Department of Defense, 

_and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted bJJ the Senate and Ii ouse of ~epresen~a- . 

2 tives of the United St.ates of America in Congress assembled, 

.3 That· this Act niay he cited as the "lfl.yentionff Inventive 

4 Contrib1ltions Awards Act of 1952". 

5 DECLARATION OF POLICY 

6 SEC. 2. It is the pmpose of this Act to foster invention 

7 for national defense through the estabJishm'ent. \v.ithin the 

8 Department of Defense of an I1we11tions Inveritive Contr-ib1~-

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. 1 tions A wards Board which shall be authorjzed. to recom2 mend to the Secretary the. ma.king of such awards, to be 

3 known as. National Defense A wards; as it sh.all consider 

4 just for meritorious inventions contributing to the national 

5 defense. 

6 DEFINITIONS 

·7 SEC. 3. As used in this Act8 (a) The term "inver ..tion co11Jrib1ition" means any &t, 

·9 n1achine, mi:mufacture, composition Bi matter, er aH:f fteW · 

10 oot1: usefo1 improvement thereof inventive contribittion which 

11 is useful, er susceptible Bi HSe, fur application 'tlsed jn the na12 tiona1 defense of the United States, and which is not subject 

13 to the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1946,--whether 

14 er HBt sueh n1Yentioft is patented; t!:Hffttented, er pate.ntable. 

15 (b) The tenn "~tor contrib'lltm·" means any person \ 

16 who has made an invention inventive cont?'ib'lltion. 

17 - ( c) The term "person" shall include any natural person, 

18 ·and his heirs. 

19 ( d) The term "the Department" shall mean the Depart20 ment of Defense, and the term "Secretary" shall mean the 

21 Secretary of. Defense. 

22 ( e) The term "defense agency",rneans the Department, 

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23 or any other depa1;tment, agency, or independent establish24 · ment in the executive branch of the Go·vernment : (except 

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·1 the Atomic Energy Commission), ttRt1 01· any wholly o,wmxl 

2 'Government corporation; designated by the President aS'. a 

3 defense agency for the purposes of this Act. 

, 4 (f) 'l1he term "Board" means the I11Yentions f nv,entive 

:) C ontribut·ions A wards Board established pursuant to section 

6 5· of -this Act. 

· 7 (g) The term "award" means a National Defense 

8 A ward authorized by section 4 of this Act. ,, 

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9 ( h) The. te1·ni "'c0111.1~w11:icat·ion'' shall mean . either< a 

10 disclosure ·in w1"it·ing or a subm·ission of a phys·icct.l C?nbodi- · 

11 · m.ent of. the contriln1,tion. 

12 NATIONAL DEFENSE AW4-RDS 

13 SEC. 4. '"VVhenever any n1Yentor contributo1· has ilisclosetl: . • 0 

14 . directly 01; ·indirectly conimun:icated h-is conl1'·ib11,t·ion to any 

lq defense agency ftllJ -i:tt-¥€~ which contribates ~ has eOO-

. 16 tributed suhstantiaJly te the natiBn-aJ defense,, and .. any such 

17 agency ·in consequence of such-·disclosure comm·unicat·ion has 

is used 01' caused . to be used such i1wention~ c.ontribut·io'n, the 

.19 · Secretary, upon the recommendation of the Board, may 

20 make a N a.tional Defense A ward to such inYentm· contributor 

21 in such amount, and subject to snch tei~ms ·imd conditioiis, 

.22 -as the Board. shall determine fr1 conformity,.with the pro23 visions of this Act to be ~ oompensa-tien for l3-l:l€ft_ ~entiefi 

24 ffi:' a rwoper. a1./Jll1'd for the use thereof. 

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1- INvBNTIONS INVENTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS AWARDS BOARD 

: 2: SEO. s·. (a) The Secretary is authorized to establish 

3 'vithin the Depart1n.ent an lRventio-BS Inventive Oontrib-u-

.. 4 · tions A wm:ds Board. which shall be composed of not m~re 

5 · than fifteen nrnmbers appoii1ted by the Seci'etary, · by and 

6 w·ith the advfoe and consent of the Oong1·ess, for such term 

7. or terms as he may specify, fron.1 persons friciiv.idiwls in civil 

8 life who are_ ei1il~ent in one or more of th.e following fields 

9 · ·of activity: Irivention, ·science research, development, and 

10 patent law: ~A q1wruni of the Board shall meet at such 

11 tirirns as the Secretary n1ay specify to consider applications 

12 made pursuant· to section 6 of this Act for awards. Five 

· 13 members shall constitute ·a, quorum of the Board . 

.14 (b ) .. Ea~h member shall receive compensation at the· rate 

· 15 of $+& $50 for e<:~ch day of his attendance at meetings of the 

16· Board, and shall be reimburned for all ti·avel expenses ac-

.17 .. t~ally incurred by him in the performa~ce ·of his duties as a 

. rr:s member of the Board. 

19 · ( c) -The.Board shall perform the duties required of it by 

20 ·~ection 6 of this Act. The Secretary shall provide the Board · 

· 21 · with such personnel and facilities as he inay· determine to 'be . 

·-22 required -by the Board subject to appToval by the Sec1·etary~ 

23· · -for the perform~nce of its functions. 

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( d) The Boa;rd may promulgate such rules and regula-
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1 tions, not inqonsistent with this Act, as may .be required for 

2 the performance of its duties hereunder. 

. 3 APPLICA'J:!ION~ 'FOR A WARDS· AND· P!'.:QCE~DINGS THEREON 

4 SEO. 6. (a)· Any inYentor co1Uribut01'. may file with 'the 

5 Secretary. an application fo~· an awa~·d un~er section 4- of 

6· . this Act, or be reconH1iended for ctn awm'd by the IJ,ead' of 

7 r:ny _defense agen(IJ. ~ Suc]f a:ppJication' 01' rec01nmendation 

8 may be filed upon i11fonnation ·and belief, and s4all c_ontain 

9 a statement concerning-. ·, 

10 ( 1) the iiatLH"e of such iriYention contrib1ition; '· 

11 . ( 2) ·the ownership thereof; 

12 ( 3) the time da·te and manner oJ its diselosifre 

13 commu'f?ication to any defense agency; 

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• -f4t tlte nature rutfl: extent . ffi its ttSe. ey ooy defense 

ao·6nev · 'b . ., ' 

-fl=+ the utility ef stteh ilx\·ention w. the United 

Stafos in the imerest ffi n&tional def~ 

·{Gt ( 4) the nature and extent of the compensation 

received by such i1wentor conti"ib1it01'.from the. United 

States unc}cr fl:HY B-tlter pre.v-lsifilt ef law fer er en· ilecoifot 

el the de·/elopm.~ er ~ et ffi:H$. .invep:t~_in comiection with the contribnl'ion. 

+++ ( 5) the nature and exte1it of the ~ompensatfon 

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-_ :1. - awa1:·d for- which 'application or 1·ecommendat·i6n- is made 

2 pursuant to this Act; a.iHl 

· · .3- ·-f8t ( 6) such ·other ffiets information as the Board 

.·_.A_ · -shall tleeffi 'pm·tinent 'p1'escr·ibe by its rules.-

- - 5. . (b r Each application OT reconi?riendatioh so -filed shall 

· 6 · be trn.nsm1tted to the Board which, subject to the provisi-ons 

7 -·of this Act ~ et the Administi~atiYe Procedure Ae-t, shaJ.l 

_.8. _fie-a,r· --ftrul shall deteri1ii11e the . questions presented by SllCh 

9 applicati~n, and shall make and transmit to the Secretary a 

10 i·ep~1:t thereon in whi.ch the Boa.rd shall set forth- -

11 (1) its :findings of fact atttl conclusions et law; 

-:'12 - -( 2) its reeo1i1mendation conclnsiO'li8 and recomrne~-

13 elations on the questi01'1 wh~ther the o:pplim-J:.nt contribiitor .. : 14 is entitled to an awanl.nnder this Act; and . 

15 ( 3) the terms and conditions upon which any s1ich 

~: 16 .·-. -~'wai·d -shoulcl l)e rnade: 

17 - DitTERl\fINATION OF BT,fGIBII~ITY FOR AWARDS AND' 

~18 QUAN'I'UM TI-IER.EOF 

-- 19 SEc: 7. (a) In any proceeding under this Act, the ·ttp-

' 20- -- plieo.nt cdnl?~ibutor shall ·ben r the burde11 of estn blishing' ey 

·---21 · probati\·e pree¥ the· disclosure commnnication of the im~~n 

22 titm confribution in question ey the. inventor·· directly: & 

i -23 -iiidird"Jtl.)· te' a defo1H_;e, agei1ey WHl the lliffi et Sttelt i-fl.TB~ 

24 ey a tlefetts-e agency -Ht consequence ffi Slliffi disel-o&i:H'-C, except 

25 that that the snbniission of a contributfon to the National 

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i · lnvento1·s Cmwui·il (1,nd ·by that Council· to ·a· defense age1.icy 

2 shall ·constitute zn'oof of coninmnication. 

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fB- IB #le ffiSe ffi, a. patett£ed inYention, preef; ef 

the·- issuance · ef a· patent thereon sftaR oons-ti-tttte pFeffi 

· ei~lisclosure ef Stteh iiwention · ~ a defense agency; OOd 

·l ·-f-2+ ffi tJte oose ffi, aR· · irn~ention 1described ffi a 

patent application which l:ttts OOen ffiHy filed ruffi hftS 

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lteffl: placed under seffi'eey' ptH"Slmnt te ffity proyir.;ion ffi 

ffi*; ~ ei tieeess ·-te soolt i:i,pplication lty · ffiiJ officer 

er employee 6f ~ defense agency shall oonstitute prof» 

ffi disclosure ffi Stlel;t inYention te Stteh agency. 

(b) In any proceeding under this Act, the respondent 

defense agency & ~ies shatl be en-t-HJoo te assert any 

legal & equitable defeiuie which eookl be asserted by the 

Ur<ited States ffi ft.BJ sffi-t ~rought ey the applicant against 

the United 'States fur judicial ¥elie-t ffit account ffi the . li:Se 

ffi. ttte i1wention ffi question ey the· United States, ffieBp-t 

that any law to the contra1'JJ notwithstandin,q, ·if the Bom'd 

'fi,nds that the contribntm' comm1inicated the contrfbution and 

20 · as a result · the?~eof ·it was used,· the Board may recmnmend 

21 an mvard. ·. · 

22 · fB- the v;·orth et ~ inYention sfiatl· oo tft€l1Sttt'OO 

23 by H-s contribution -te the ne-efl.s ffi tJte national defense, 

24 ftfHl Mt~ the adv~nce i-t makes ffi the Held -te which'. :it 

25 pertains; 
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-ffB- the validity ef a.HY patei1t i~rJtied oo the inventor 

fer sool± inventiofl: shall oo ptermrned iR the- a:bsence ef 

coi11petei1t pFeffi ef the invalidity ef etteh patent ; antl 

-f3t preef that the disclosure lllad€ by the inventor 

oo ~ defens? agency WftB·sufficiently specific w permi-£ 

the makihg .er practicing ef sttefl. ]jw·ention 1shall OOHstitute preef ef the· actual redt1ction ef .Sll€ff i1wentio"Q te 

practice: 

9 -ft* PEtJ'rnent ~ tJte United ·.States ef the oost, ffi w-ftel-e 

10 er lit part, ef developittg tffi i11YentioR fffial-J. oot oo the mak11 ffig ef ftft awrird under tftffi.· Aet w tlte inventor thm·eof, bttt 

12 ffi In determining the amount of any such a."rard consider13 a.tion shall be ·given to-

. 14 (1) The novelty, originality, and utility of the con- · 

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. tribution'; 

-f++ ( 2) the extent. to which such development was 

made at the expense of the inventor conkibntor, and the 

extent to which such deve]oprnent · ''\TaS made at the 

~xpense ·of the United States; 

-ffB- ( 3) the extent to which the inventor contrib1.ltor has benefih:d fr.fH:l will benefit or 1·easonably can be 

expected to benefit thr0t1gh the cornmoi·cia] expl()itation ' I 

of such invention iR OOH-Sequence e.f development fftft€1.e frt 

tlte .expense e.f t1te United States;TM* c01it1,ibul'ion: 

-f6t ( 4) the extent to which the i1wentor contribu-
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REF ID:A4161587 

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1 for. has been d.enied the benefits of commercial explOita-

·2 . tion of -such-invention contribu,tion in consequence of any 

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secrecy restrictions imposed by the United 8ta.tes. 

States; -and 

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(5) The extent to which the contributor has been 

compensated for said contribu,tion by the United States. 

( d) If, in any p1:oceeding imder this Act, it shall appear 

to the Board that more than one rnvcntor confribu,tor. is. en-

' titled to. compensa:tion with respect to the same invention 

.. ccnitribution the Board ~hall ascertain and ·determine the 

'11 ' ii:i'terests ·of each such inventor, contributor· and shall recorn12 1-n'end the )division of ~the ·award~ in- such proportions as it 

13 shall deem equitable, among all persons whom it shall find 

· 14 · . to be entitled to shaie th~rein.· 

15 P AY:M:ENT OF A WARDS 

16. SEC~ 8. fa) Any .award made :pursuant to this Act 

· i 7 ,may be paid in ;a, 'Single pa}rment or by such periodic payiL8 ments as· the Board may recommend. 

19 · (b-) Awards so made shall be paid from funds appro-

.20 -priated to the defense agency principally interested in the 

21 in.,;ention contribut·ion for which such award is made, as 

22 -dete1'nu.ned b.)~ the Board, :lnd may be paid from any funds 

23 appropriated to such agency which are available for the 

24 ·procurement of equipment or supplies incorporating such . · 

-25 : invention -contribution or resulting :from the 0practice. of such 
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1 . r • 'b . · ·nP(cntion ·. contri ution. If the head of the def~nse agency 

2 conceniecl certificates that funds are not available to such 

3 agency for the payment of any such award, the Secretary 

4 shall include in his budget estimat~ for the Department for 

5 the next fiscal yea:r an appropriate item for the payment .of 

6 such award. 

7 .. ( c) No award made under this Act shall be paid until 

8 each person entitled to share therein has executed a release, 

9 in such form as the Secretary shall approve, by which such 

10 person surrenders, for himself allil- all others fiolt1ffi-g i·ights 

11 from film, all further claims against the United States for 

12 . compensation. with respect to the u1yention cont-ributions for . 

13 which such award is made .. 

14 (cl) No award_ shall be- paid under· this Act to_ any 

15 mYmltor contributor or with respect to any iiwcntiott contnbu16 tion in any amount _exceeding. $7 5,000 until such award 

17 has been transmitted to and appmvecl· by the· Cong;ress. 

18 The approval of the Congress to any such ,aw~nl shall 

19 be deemed to have- been granted . upon the· expiration 

20 of the first period of 6fte _hm1drcd afill tv,·entj' eaJ.endar 

21 tI-ays six m01iths· of ·continuous session of the Congress 

22 folio.wing the -elate on which such. award .is transmitted 

23 to it for approval, but only if prior to the expiration of such 

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24 period there ·has not been passed a concurrent resolution 

25 disapproving such· award or approving such award .. ill a 

26 reduced .amount or subject to different conditions. If within 
REF ID:A4161587 

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1 such p'eriod any such resolution is passed authorizing payment 

2 . of such award in a reduced amount. or subject to different 

3 conditions, payment of such award may be made in con4 formity wit~ the terms of such resolution. 

5 PROCEEDINGS UNDER OTHER STATUTES 

6 SEO. 9. {a) Nothing contained in this Act shall7 ( 1) preve~t. any depa.rtment er defense agency ef 

8 -the United Sta.tes from making any payment to any 

9 inventor confrib1itor pursuant to any other provision of 

10 law; or 

11 f.B- har ttny inventor trem prosee!:ttffi.g ooy ffi:l±t i!t · 

12 the Gettr-t ef Cla.ims pursuant -te section 1400. ef -title gs 

13 et -tlte.Yfti-ted Sifttes Ge4e'wtttt re.sp€e-t ~atty u1yention, 

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. 14 er frem-reeoverii1g judgment ffi ftfiJ stl:Cfi stli-k 

15 -fBt NB i1wentor shall oo entitled -te receiY() ooy awfbl·d 

16 1mrsuant -te this Act -with respect -te ooy in·.Tention 

17 . -f1+ ~ vdiich he htts 1·eceiYcd ftfiY compensation 

18 (othei· -thftfl: salfbl·y received ~ senTiccs rendered as ftfi 

19 officer er employee ef the Goym·nment) · 'lffifter ·ttny ether 

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21 f.B- wi-tli . respect -te which fie lttts instituted ooy 

22 sffi.t" ffi -the Court ef Claims fer eom1iensation ptil'Stlftfit -te 

23 section 1400 ef -title :2-8 ef the United Stfttes Gotffi bm· 

24 any cont1··ibuto1· fro1n prosecut·ing: any su·it under any 

25 other provision of law. 
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[COMMITTEE PRINT] 

MA y 24, 1952 

820 CONGRESS 

2o SESSION H. Ro 7316 

A BILL 

To authorize the establishment of an Im·entions 

lnven.tive Contributions Awards Board 

within the Department of Defense, and for 

other puq:>oses . 

J3y Mr. GELLER 

· l\faRCII 31, 1952 

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

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