[an error occurred while processing this directive]
<!-- BEGIN CONTENT -->
<p align="right"><i>June 30, 2003</i></p>
<h3>Congress Considers Change to IP Provision</h3>
                  
      
<p>The House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property conducted 
  a hearing on June 17 to debate the merits of a legislative vehicle to force 
  states to waive their sovereign immunity rights. </p>
<p>The Intellectual Property Protection Restoration Act of 2003 (H.R. 2344), introduced 
  by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), would require that public institutions waive state 
  sovereignty immunity rights if they wish to take advantage of federal patent 
  and copyright protections. Currently, state sponsored hospitals, research centers, 
  and academic institutions are protected from intellectual property infringement 
  claims. A similar bill (S. 1191) was introduced earlier this month by Sen. Patrick 
  Leahy (D-VT). &#149;&#149;&#149;
<p>&nbsp; </p>
<!-- END CONTENT -->
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

<!-- BEGIN FOOTER -->

              <!-- footer -->
<table width="100%" cellpadding="6">
  <tr>
                
    <td colspan="2"><br>
				<img src="/images/tag_dot.gif" width="192" height="16" alt="Advancing science * Serving society"><br><br>
      <span class="homecontent">Copyright 2003 by the American Association for 
      the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.</span> <br>
      &nbsp;
                </td>
              </tr>
</table>

</body>
</html>
<!-- END FOOTER -->