The Duke Digest - March 18, 2011

 

In Today's Issue:

  • Duke Patent Law Expert Comments on Senate Passage of America Invents Act
  • Duke Sustainable Transportation Official Visits Capitol Hill to Talk Transport Funding


DUKE LAW PROF LAUDS SENATE'S 95-5 VOTE FOR AMERICA INVENTS ACT
Duke Law Professor Arti Rai, who served as the administrator for external affairs at the USPTO from 2009-2010, applauds the Senate's action and calls on House of Reps and President Obama to push through patent reform legislation crucial to supporting innovation:

"...[L]ast week’s 95-5 Senate vote in favor of the America Invents Act represents something of a watershed. Indeed, given the background history of fierce clashes between interest groups, and the everyday difficulties of achieving bipartisan agreement, the Senate action deserves commendation irrespective of what ultimately happens in the House.

"There is no question that our patent system needs further improvement...The America Invents Act, if taken up by the House of Representatives and signed by the president, would address [the] problems in several ways."

Read More:
Patent Reform and the Progress of Innovation (ScienceProgress.org)


DUKE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION OFFICIAL VISITS CAPITOL HILL TO TALK TRANSPORT FUNDING
Brian Williams, Duke's transportation demand management coordinator, led a group from the League of American Bicyclists to Capitol Hill during last week's National Bike Summit.  Williams, who is responsible for promoting and supporting alternative transportation at Duke, organized meetings for fellow transportation representatives from around North Carolina to talk with members of Congress about continued funding for transportation.

Individuals met with staff from the offices of Reps. David Price, G.K. Butterfield, Patrick McHenry, Sue Myrick, Brad Miller, and Heath Shuler to discuss continued support for the Safe Routes to School program and for Transportation Enhancements -  funding that encourages the consideration of all modes of transportation when plans for new construction are created. The group also met with staffers from the offices of Senators Kay Hagan and Richard Burr.  Williams presented Senator Burr's office with an award for co-sponsoring the Safe Routes to School reauthorization and for the continued support of Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements.

Read More:
Brian Williams: A New Voice for Sustainable Commuting at Duke (parking.duke.edu)