WASHINGTON, DC -- Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (CA) addressed Eagle Forums Fourth Annual
Leadership Summit about the current patent legislation. He explained that this
issue affects the very core of what America stands for. At least 9 out of 10 of
the greatest inventions in the world were invented in America, and its not
because the air is different here. It is because our Constitution guarantees
rights to creative geniuses. Our Founding Fathers had a strong belief that
inventions open the doors to opportunity and wealth. This is why our standard of
living is so much higher than other countries, and why our parents can have dreams
for us that would be unthinkable in other countries.
Rep. Rohrabacher explained that former Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown made an
agreement with athe Japanese Ambassador to "harmonize" our patent laws with
Japans. Patent Commissioner Bruce Lehman, is pushing for the United States to
"harmonize" with the Japanese system by publishing the details of inventions before
a patent is granted.
Rep. Rohrabacher said that America should not have to lower our standards to
harmonize with other countries. As Americans, we should be very careful of global
organizations made up of bureaucracies that we never voted for. The Congressman
warned sudents that the farther away the decision-making gets, the less say you
have in the process. He urged students to be involved in the process of
self-government
-- by Megan Owens
