Patent Office To Get Funding Boost Under Bush's Budget Proposal

President Bush's budget proposal for 2009 could see an additional $159 million, or equivalent to an 8% budget increase being handed to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

This increase would set the USPTO’s budget at $2.075 billion and they will continue to retain all revenue made from processing and filing fees.

With the USPTO in recent years being hit hard with the sheer volume of patent applications, the additional funds have been earmarked for plans to employ an additional 1,200 patent examiners, expand telework programs and further encourage applicants to save time by communicating with the USPTO via the Internet.

The budget would also aid the Global Intellectual Property Academy, with training and cooperative projects with international IP offices.

“The President’s budget request for 2009 will support the goals of the USPTO’s five-year strategic plan: optimising patent and trademark quality and timeliness, improving intellectual property protection both domestically and abroad, and achieving organizational excellence,” said Under Secretary Dudas. “Importantly, it provides us the resources to continue our record hiring of patent examiners and to streamline our processes to achieve maximum operational efficiency.”

This increase would set the USPTO’s budget at $2.075 billion and they will continue to retain all revenue made from processing and filing fees.

With the USPTO in recent years being hit hard with the sheer volume of patent applications, the additional funds have been earmarked for plans to employ an additional 1,200 patent examiners, expand telework programs and further encourage applicants to save time by communicating with the USPTO via the Internet.

The budget would also aid the Global Intellectual Property Academy, with training and cooperative projects with international IP offices.

"The President’s budget request for 2009 will support the goals of the USPTO's five-year strategic plan: optimising patent and trademark quality and timeliness, improving intellectual property protection both domestically and abroad, and achieving organizational excellence," said Under Secretary Dudas. "Importantly, it provides us the resources to continue our record hiring of patent examiners and to streamline our processes to achieve maximum operational efficiency."