Source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title35/html/USCODE-2011-title35-partI-chap1-sec2.htm
Timestamp: 2018-12-15 18:44:05
Document Index: 801305846

Matched Legal Cases: ['§2', '§1', '§1000', '§4712', '§2', '§13206', '§4', '§5', '§20', '§25', '§21', '§11301', '§20', '§25', '§21', '§20', '§28', '§32', '§13103']

Sec. 2 - Powers and duties
§2. Powers and duties
(a) In General.—The United States Patent and Trademark Office, subject to the policy direction of the Secretary of Commerce—
(b) Specific Powers.—The Office—
(E) shall recognize the public interest in continuing to safeguard broad access to the United States patent system through the reduced fee structure for small entities under section 41(h)(1) of this title; and
(F) provide for the development of a performance-based process that includes quantitative and qualitative measures and standards for evaluating cost-effectiveness and is consistent with the principles of impartiality and competitiveness;
(4)(A) may make such purchases, contracts for the construction, maintenance, or management and operation of facilities, and contracts for supplies or services, without regard to the provisions of subtitle I and chapter 33 of title 40, division C (except sections 3302, 3501(b), 3509, 3906, 4710, and 4711) of subtitle I of title 41, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.); and
(11) may conduct programs, studies, or exchanges of items or services regarding domestic and international intellectual property law and the effectiveness of intellectual property protection domestically and throughout the world;
(12)(A) shall advise the Secretary of Commerce on programs and studies relating to intellectual property policy that are conducted, or authorized to be conducted, cooperatively with foreign intellectual property offices and international intergovernmental organizations; and
(13)(A) in coordination with the Department of State, may conduct programs and studies cooperatively with foreign intellectual property offices and international intergovernmental organizations; and
(c) Clarification of Specific Powers.—(1) The special payments under subsection (b)(13)(B) shall be in addition to any other payments or contributions to international organizations described in subsection (b)(13)(B) and shall not be subject to any limitations imposed by law on the amounts of such other payments or contributions by the United States Government.
(4) In exercising the Director's powers under paragraphs (3) and (4)(A) of subsection (b), the Director shall consult with the Administrator of General Services.
(5) In exercising the Director's powers and duties under this section, the Director shall consult with the Register of Copyrights on all copyright and related matters.
(d) Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to nullify, void, cancel, or interrupt any pending request-for-proposal let or contract issued by the General Services Administration for the specific purpose of relocating or leasing space to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 792; Pub. L. 93–596, §1, Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1949; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(9) [title IV, §4712], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–572; Pub. L. 106–400, §2, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1675; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, §13206(a)(1), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1904; Pub. L. 108–178, §4(g), Dec. 15, 2003, 117 Stat. 2641; Pub. L. 111–350, §5(i)(1), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3849; Pub. L. 112–29, §§20(j), 21(a), 25, Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 335, 337.)
Pub. L. 112–29, §§25, 35, Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 337, 341, provided that, effective upon the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on Sept. 16, 2011, and applicable to any patent issued on or after that effective date, subsection (b)(2) of this section is amended by striking “and” after the semicolon in subparagraph (E), inserting “and” after the semicolon in subparagraph (F), and adding at the end the following:
Pub. L. 112–29, §§21(a), 35, Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 335, 341, provided that, effective upon the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on Sept. 16, 2011, and applicable to any patent issued on or after that effective date, subsection (b)(11) of this section is amended by inserting “, and the Office is authorized to expend funds to cover the subsistence expenses and travel-related expenses, including per diem, lodging costs, and transportation costs, of persons attending such programs who are not Federal employees” after “world”. See 2011 Amendment note below.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(4)(A), is Pub. L. 100–77, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 482, which is classified principally to chapter 119 (§11301 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 11301 of Title 42 and Tables.
2011—Subsec. (b)(2)(E). Pub. L. 112–29, §20(j), struck out “of this title” after “41(h)(1)”.
Subsec. (b)(2)(G). Pub. L. 112–29, §25, added subpar. (G).
Subsec. (b)(4)(A). Pub. L. 111–350 substituted “division C (except sections 3302, 3501(b), 3509, 3906, 4710, and 4711) of subtitle I of title 41” for “title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 251 et seq.)”.
Subsec. (b)(11). Pub. L. 112–29, §21(a), inserted “, and the Office is authorized to expend funds to cover the subsistence expenses and travel-related expenses, including per diem, lodging costs, and transportation costs, of persons attending such programs who are not Federal employees” after “world”.
2003—Subsec. (b)(4)(A). Pub. L. 108–178 substituted “subtitle I and chapter 33 of title 40, title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 251 et seq.),” for “the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 471 et seq.), the Public Buildings Act (40 U.S.C. 601 et seq.),”.
2002—Subsec. (b)(2)(B), (4)(B). Pub. L. 107–273 struck out “, United States Code” before semicolon at end.
2000—Subsec. (b)(4)(A). Pub. L. 106–400 substituted “McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act” for “Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act”.
1999—Pub. L. 106–113 amended section catchline and text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Patent and Trademark Office shall have a seal with which letters patent, certificates of trade-mark registrations, and papers issued from the Office shall be authenticated.”
Pub. L. 112–29, §20(l), Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 335, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 3, 12, 32, 41, 103, 104, 111, 116, 119 to 123, 132, 135, 143, 145, 146, 154, 157, 162, 172, 182 to 186, 202, 207, 209, 210, 251, 253, 256, 257, 267, 282, 284, 287, 288, 291, 294, 302 to 307, 328, 363, 365, 368, and 371 to 375 of this title and repealing sections 155 and 155A of this title] shall take effect upon the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Sept. 16, 2011] and shall apply to proceedings commenced on or after that effective date.”
Except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 111–29, amendment by Pub. L. 111–29 effective upon the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on Sept. 16, 2011, and applicable to any patent issued on or after that effective date, see section 35 of Pub. L. 112–29, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Pub. L. 112–29, §28, Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 339, provided that: “Using available resources, the Director [Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office] shall establish and maintain in the [United States Patent and Trademark] Office a Patent Ombudsman Program. The duties of the Program's staff shall include providing support and services relating to patent filings to small business concerns and independent inventors.”
Pub. L. 112–29, §32, Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 340, provided that:
Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, §13103, Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1899, provided that: