SIIA Joins Coalition to Oppose PERA’s Impact on U.S. Patent Landscape

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has joined a coalition of organizations in expressing strong opposition to the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA), specifically S. 2140. In a collective statement, the signatories argue that PERA poses a significant threat to the established U.S. patent system by allowing patents for a wide range of activities, such as business methods, legal agreements, media content, and entertainment, as long as they involve technology use. The letter emphasizes concerns about potential extensive litigation against American businesses, challenging the longstanding principle of limiting patents to technological improvements. The coalition stresses that PERA deviates from established legal principles, potentially enabling the patenting of commonplace daily activities. Furthermore, the letter contends that PERA would overturn crucial legal principles that have protected inventors and upheld U.S. innovation policy for over 170 years. Examples of recent court decisions that PERA would override are cited, illustrating the potential adverse impact on various industries. In conclusion, the coalition urges the Judiciary Committee to refrain from advancing the bill, asserting that PERA would disrupt centuries of established law and have detrimental effects on the American innovation economy.