Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 83.djvu/471

 83 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 91-160-DEC. 24, 1969

443

Public Law 91-160 JOINT RESOLUTION

December 24, 1 969

To enable the United States to organize and hold a diplomatic conference in the United States in fiscal year 1970 to negotiate a Patent Cooperation Treaty and authorize an appropriation therefor.

[s- J- Res. 90]

Whereas all countries issuing patents, and especially countries such as the United States having an examination system, deal with large and constantly growing numbers of patent applications of increasing complexity; and Whereas in any one country a considerable number of patent applications duplicate or substantially duplicate applications relating to the same inventions in other countries, thereby increasing further the volume of applications to be processed; and Whereas a resolution of the difficulties attendant upon duplications in filings and examination would result in more economical, quicker, and more effective protection for inventions throughout the world thus benefiting inventors, the general public, and government; and Whereas a treaty for international patent cooperation providing a central filing, search and examination system should provide a practicable means of resolving the difficulties arising out of the duplications in the filing and examination of patent applications; and Whereas governments concerned with international patent problems have spent a number of years in consultation and in the development of a draft treaty for international patent cooperation to alleviate these problems: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of State Patent and the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with other con- T°elty^ '°" cerned departments and agencies, are authorized to take all necessary conference to steps to organize and hold a diplomatic conference to negotiate a "^s°**^*Patent Cooperation Treaty in Washington, District of Columbia, in fiscal year 1970. SEC. 2. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Appropriation. State, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum not to exceed $175,000 for the purpose of defraying the expenses incident to organizing and holding such an international conference. Funds appropriated pursuant to this authorization shall be available for expenses incurred on behalf of the United States as host government, including without limitation personal services without regard to civil service and classification laws, except that no salary rate shall exceed the maximum rate payable under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code; employment of aliens, printing and binding without ^^^^^^ ^^^^ regard to the provisions of any other law; travel expenses without regard to the Standardized Government Travel Regulations and to the rates of per diem allowances in lieu of subsistence expenses under section 5707 of title 5, United States Code; rent or lease of facilities in, ^° ^*^^ 1°°' •

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the District of Columbia or elsewhere by contract or otherw^ise; hire of passenger motor vehicles; and official functions and courtesies. SEC, 3. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, or contributions either of them, are authorized to accept and use contributions of funds, property! etc. property, services, and facilities for the purpose of organizing and holding such an international conference. For the purpose of Federal

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