The Senate Judiciary Committee is once again scheduled to markup the Inventor Diversity for Economic Advancement (IDEA) Act (S.4713/H.R.9455) this Thursday, September 19.

The bipartisan, bicameral IDEA Act was introduced in the Senate by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Senate Judiciary Intellectual Property (IP) Subcommittee Ranking Member Thom Tillis (R-NC), along with Senate Judiciary IP Subcommittee Chair Chris Coons (D-DE), Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA).  Representatives Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and Young Kim (R-CA) introduced the House companion.

The IDEA Act answers a call from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to allow the agency to collect demographic data from inventors.  While research using name-matching software, dataset linkages, and other techniques has found that women, people of color, and individuals with lower incomes are underrepresented among U.S. inventors, the USPTO and stakeholders do not have a complete picture of who is inventing and patenting because the USPTO does not currently collect data from inventors.  The IDEA Act would authorize the USPTO to create a mechanism for inventors to voluntarily submit their demographic data and direct the USPTO to make the aggregate anonymized information publicly available on an annual basis.  The bill also provides privacy protections for inventors, ensuring that any information provided is kept confidential, separate from the patent application and any decisions related to the patent application, and exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Last Congress, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered and advanced the legislation by a bipartisan vote of 15-7.  The House and Senate also each passed IDEA as part of other bills—the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and the America COMPETES Act.  In the Senate, the bill received a substantial bipartisan floor vote of 71-27 as an amendment to USICA.

Photo of Morgan Schreurs Morgan Schreurs

Morgan Schreurs helps clients develop and execute public policy strategies, counsels clients through cultural change and political risk, and builds and manages coalitions to accomplish clients’ objectives.

Morgan primarily works with wireless technology, health technology, financial technology, and other companies on public policy…

Morgan Schreurs helps clients develop and execute public policy strategies, counsels clients through cultural change and political risk, and builds and manages coalitions to accomplish clients’ objectives.

Morgan primarily works with wireless technology, health technology, financial technology, and other companies on public policy matters important to highly regulated industries.

Morgan is a skilled legislative drafter with experience drafting bills and amendments on a wide variety of topics introduced and enacted by the U.S. Congress and state legislatures.

Drawing on her experience in Minnesota State government relations, Morgan co-leads the firm’s state policy practice, advising clients on complex multistate legislative and regulatory policy matters and managing state advocacy efforts.

Morgan is on the forefront of social justice issues. As the Policy Director of Invent Together—an alliance of universities, nonprofits, companies, and other stakeholders dedicated to broadening participation in inventing and patenting—she has successfully advocated for the enactment of legislation to close the inventor diversity gaps. She serves on Working Group for the Council for Inclusive Innovation led by the Department of Commerce. She is also a member of the Leadership Advisory Committee (LAC) of the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) and the Chair of the NWLC LAC Public Policy Subcommittee. In addition, Morgan maintains an active pro bono practice focused on matters related to equity and inclusion.

Prior to joining Covington, Morgan worked for the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) under former Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA). She also supported federal, state, and local political campaigns and served on the Hillary for America National Advance Team.

Read more about Morgan Schreurs
Show more Show less
Photo of Holly Fechner Holly Fechner

Holly Fechner advises clients on complex public policy matters that combine legal and political opportunities and risks. She leads teams that represent companies, entities, and organizations in significant policy and regulatory matters before Congress and the Executive Branch.

She is a co-chair of…

Holly Fechner advises clients on complex public policy matters that combine legal and political opportunities and risks. She leads teams that represent companies, entities, and organizations in significant policy and regulatory matters before Congress and the Executive Branch.

She is a co-chair of the Covington’s Technology Industry Group and a member of the Covington Political Action Committee board of directors.

Holly works with clients to:

  • Develop compelling public policy strategies
  • Research law and draft legislation and policy
  • Draft testimony, comments, fact sheets, letters and other documents
  • Advocate before Congress and the Executive Branch
  • Form and manage coalitions
  • Develop communications strategies

She is the Executive Director of Invent Together and a visiting lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She serves on the board of directors of the American Constitution Society.

Holly served as Policy Director for Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Chief Labor and Pensions Counsel for the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee.

She received The American Lawyer, “Dealmaker of the Year” award in 2019. The Hill named her a “Top Lobbyist” from 2013 to the present, and she has been ranked by Chambers USA – America’s Leading Business Lawyers from 2012 to the present. One client noted to Chambers: “Holly is an exceptional attorney who excels in government relations and policy discussions. She has an incisive analytical skill set which gives her the capability of understanding extremely complex legal and institutional matters.” According to another client surveyed by Chambers, “Holly is incredibly intelligent, effective and responsive. She also leads the team in a way that brings out everyone’s best work.”

Read more about Holly Fechner
Show more Show less