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S 654 102th Congress Senate Commerce Biotechnology Foreign Trade and International Finance Imports Patents

Biotechnology Patent Protection Act of 1991

Introduced: March 13, 1991 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 102nd Congress ended
It never became law before the 102nd Congress (1991–1992) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 16 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 28, 1992
Referred to the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and Judicial Administration.
Sep 22, 1992
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Sep 22, 1992
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Sep 22, 1992
Received in the House.
Sep 18, 1992
Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Sep 18, 1992
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Sep 18, 1992
The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Voice Vote.
Sep 18, 1992
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
Mar 11, 1992
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 421.
Mar 11, 1992
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Biden with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 102-260.
Nov 21, 1991
Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jul 25, 1991
Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks. Approved for full committee consideration with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jun 12, 1991
Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 102-457.
Mar 25, 1991
Referred to Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks.
Mar 13, 1991
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Mar 13, 1991
Introduced in Senate
 Amendments to this bill 1

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

1 agreed to

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 3,088 — In the nature of a substitute. Agreed to Sep 18, 1992
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Title I: Biotechnological Process Patents - Amends Federal patent law to cite conditions under which a claimed process of making or using a machine, manufacture, or composition of matter is not obvious (thereby enhancing the patentability prospects of certain biotechnology processes).

Establishes a presumption of validity with respect to a process claim even through a related product claim is invalidated (thus allowing a patentee to prove that the process claim is independently patentable from the product claim).

Title II: Biotechnological Material Patents - Makes any unauthorized person who imports or sells a product made by using a biotechnological material that is patented in the United States liable for patent infringement.

Includes within the terms of such patents the right to exclude others from using, selling, or importing such products throughout or into the United States.

Establishes exceptions to such requirements to the extent suitable to protect commercial investment made or business commenced before the effective date of such amendments.

What's happening now September 28, 1992

Referred to the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and Judicial Administration.

 Bill text 4 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Grassley, Chuck
Iowa · Mar 13, 1991
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 654: Biotechnology Patent Protection Act of 1991. 102nd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/102-S-654/
MLA
"S. 654: Biotechnology Patent Protection Act of 1991." 102nd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/102-S-654/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 654, 102nd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/102-S-654/.
Markdown link
[S. 654: Biotechnology Patent Protection Act of 1991](https://openamerica.io/bill/102-S-654/)
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