80_FR_63744 80 FR 63542 - Trademark Public Advisory Committee Public Hearing on the Proposed Trademark Fee Schedule

80 FR 63542 - Trademark Public Advisory Committee Public Hearing on the Proposed Trademark Fee Schedule

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 202 (October 20, 2015)

Page Range63542-63543
FR Document2015-26572

Under Section 10 of the America Invents Act (AIA), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) may set or adjust by rule any patent or trademark fee established, authorized, or charged under Title 35 of the United States Code or the Trademark Act of 1946, respectively. The USPTO currently is planning to set or adjust trademark fees pursuant to its Section 10 fee setting authority. As part of the rulemaking process to set or adjust trademark fees, the Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC) is required under Section 10 of the AIA to hold a public hearing about any proposed trademark fees, and the USPTO is required to assist TPAC in carrying out that hearing. To that end, the USPTO will make its proposed trademark fees available as set forth in the Supplementary Information section of this Notice before any TPAC hearing and will help the TPAC to notify the public about the hearing. Accordingly, this document announces the dates and logistics for the TPAC public hearing regarding USPTO proposed trademark fees. Interested members of the public are invited to testify at the hearing and/or submit written comments about the proposed trademark fees and the questions posed on the USPTO TPAC Web site page about the proposed fees.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 202 (Tuesday, October 20, 2015) 
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 202 (Tuesday, October 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63542-63543]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26572]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTO-T-2015-0066]


Trademark Public Advisory Committee Public Hearing on the 
Proposed Trademark Fee Schedule

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Public Hearing.

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SUMMARY:  Under Section 10 of the America Invents Act (AIA), the United 
States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) may set or adjust by rule 
any patent or trademark fee established, authorized, or charged under 
Title 35 of the United States Code or the Trademark Act of 1946, 
respectively. The USPTO currently is planning to set or adjust 
trademark fees pursuant to its Section 10 fee setting authority. As 
part of the rulemaking process to set or adjust trademark fees, the 
Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC) is required under Section 10 
of the AIA to hold a public hearing about any proposed trademark fees, 
and the USPTO is required to assist TPAC in carrying out that hearing. 
To that end, the USPTO will make its proposed trademark fees available 
as set forth in the Supplementary Information section of this Notice 
before any TPAC hearing and will help the TPAC to notify the public 
about the hearing. Accordingly, this document announces the dates and 
logistics for the TPAC public hearing regarding USPTO proposed 
trademark fees. Interested members of the public are invited to testify 
at the hearing and/or submit written comments about the proposed 
trademark fees and the questions posed on the USPTO TPAC Web site page 
about the proposed fees.

DATES: Public hearing: November 3, 2015.
    Comments: For those wishing to submit written comments on the fee 
proposal that will be published by October 27, 2015, but not requesting 
an opportunity to testify at the public hearing, the deadline for 
receipt of those written comments is November 10, 2015.
    Oral testimony: Those wishing to present oral testimony at the 
hearing must request an opportunity to do so in writing no later than 
October 27, 2015.
    Pre-scheduled speakers: Pre-scheduled speakers providing testimony 
at the hearing should submit a written copy of their testimony for 
inclusion in the record of the proceedings no later than November 10, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Public hearing: The TPAC will hold a public hearing on 
November 3, 2015 beginning at 1:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST), 
and ending at 3:00 p.m., EST, at the USPTO, Madison Auditorium South, 
Concourse Level, Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, 
Virginia 22314.
    Email: Written comments should be sent by email addressed to 
[email protected].
    Postal mail: Comments may also be submitted by postal mail 
addressed to: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Mail Stop CFO, 
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450, ATTN: Brendan Hourigan. 
Although comments may be submitted by postal mail, the USPTO prefers to 
receive comments via email. Written comments should be identified in 
the subject line of the email or postal mailing as ``Fee Setting.'' 
Because comments will be made available for public inspection, 
information that is not desired to be made public, such as an address 
or telephone number should not be included in the comments.
    Web cast: The public hearing will be available via Web cast. 
Information about the Web cast will be posted on the USPTO's Internet 
Web site (address: www.uspto.gov/about-us/performance-and-planning/fee-setting-and-adjusting) before the public hearing.
    Transcripts: Transcript of the hearing will be available on the 
USPTO Internet

[[Page 63543]]

Web site (address: www.uspto.gov/about-us/performance-and-planning/fee-setting-and-adjusting) shortly after the hearing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brendan Hourigan, Office of the Chief 
Financial Officer, by phone (571) 272-8966, or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Requests to testify should indicate the 
following: (1) The name of the person wishing to testify; (2) the 
person's contact information (telephone number and email address); (3) 
the organization(s) the person represents, if any; and (4) an 
indication of the amount of time needed for the testimony. Requests to 
testify must be submitted by email to Pamela Lloyd at 
[email protected]. Based upon the requests received, an agenda for 
witness testimony will be sent to testifying requesters and posted on 
the USPTO Internet Web site (address: www.uspto.gov/about-us/performance-and-planning/fee-setting-and-adjusting). If time permits, 
the TPAC may permit unscheduled testimony as well.
    Effective September 16, 2011, with the passage of the AIA, the 
USPTO is authorized under Section 10 of the AIA to set or adjust by 
rule all patent and trademark fees established, authorized, or charged 
under Title 35 of the United States Code and the Trademark Act of 1946, 
respectively. Patent and trademark fees set or adjusted by rule under 
Section 10 of the AIA may only recover the aggregate estimated costs to 
the Office for processing, activities, services, and materials relating 
to patents and trademarks, respectively, including administrative costs 
of the Office with respect to each as the case may be.
    Congress set forth the process for the USPTO to follow in setting 
or adjusting patent and trademark fees by rule under Section 10 of the 
AIA. Congress requires the relevant advisory committee to hold a public 
hearing about the USPTO fee proposals after receiving them from the 
agency. Congress likewise requires the relevant advisory committee to 
prepare a written report on the proposed fees and the USPTO to consider 
the relevant advisory committee's report before finally setting or 
adjusting the fees. Further, Congress requires the USPTO to publish its 
proposed fees and supporting rationale in the Federal Register and give 
the public not less than 45 days in which to submit comments on the 
proposed change in fees. Finally, Congress requires the USPTO to 
publish its final rule setting or adjusting fees also in the Federal 
Register.
    Presently, the USPTO is planning to exercise its fee setting 
authority to set or adjust trademark fees. The USPTO will publish a 
proposed trademark fee schedule and related supplementary information 
for public viewing no later than October 27, 2015, on the USPTO 
Internet Web site (address: www.uspto.gov/about-us/performance-and-planning/fee-setting-and-adjusting). In turn, the TPAC will hold a 
public hearing about the proposed trademark fee schedule on the date 
indicated herein. The USPTO will assist the TPAC in holding the hearing 
by providing resources to organize the hearing and by notifying the 
public about the hearing, such as through this notice. To gather 
information from the public about the USPTO's proposed trademark fees, 
the TPAC will post specific questions for the public's consideration on 
the TPAC's Internet Web site (address: www.uspto.gov/about/advisory/tpac) after the USPTO publishes its proposed trademark fee schedule. 
The public may wish to address those questions in its hearing testimony 
and/or in written comments submitted to TPAC as described herein.
    Following the TPAC public hearing, the USPTO will publish a Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register, setting forth its 
proposed trademark fees. The publication of that Notice will open a 
comment window through which the public may provide written comments 
directly to the USPTO. Additional information about public comment to 
the USPTO will be provided in the USPTO's Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking.

    Dated: October 14, 2015.
Michelle K. Lee,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2015-26572 Filed 10-19-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P

63542 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 202 / Tuesday, October 20, 2015 / Notices Senior Executive Service (SES) members Department of Commerce, National of this Notice before any TPAC hearing and (2) making recommendations to the Telecommunications and Information and will help the TPAC to notify the appointing authority on other Administration, First Responder public about the hearing. Accordingly, performance management issues, such Network Authority (NTIA/FirstNet) this document announces the dates and as pay adjustments, bonuses and Frank Freeman, Chief Administrative logistics for the TPAC public hearing Presidential Rank Awards for SES Officer, FirstNet, Career SES regarding USPTO proposed trademark members. The appointment of these fees. Interested members of the public Jim Gwinn, Chief Information Officer, members to the Performance Review are invited to testify at the hearing and/ FirstNet, Career SES (New Member) Board will be for a period of twenty-four or submit written comments about the (24) months. Department of Commerce, Office of the proposed trademark fees and the DATES: The period of appointment for Secretary, Office of the Chief Financial questions posed on the USPTO TPAC those individuals selected for NTIA’s Officer and Assistant Secretary for Web site page about the proposed fees. Performance Review Board begins on Administration, Office of the Deputy DATES: Public hearing: November 3, October 20, 2015. Chief Financial Officer for Financial 2015. Management (OS/CFO/ASA/OFM) Comments: For those wishing to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: submit written comments on the fee Ruthie B. Stewart, Department of Gordon T. Alston, Director, Financial Reporting and Internal Controls, proposal that will be published by Commerce, Office of Human Resources October 27, 2015, but not requesting an Management, Office of Executive Career SES (New Member) opportunity to testify at the public Resources, 14th and Constitution Department of Commerce, Office of the hearing, the deadline for receipt of those Avenue NW., Room 51010, Washington, Secretary (OS) written comments is November 10, DC 20230, at (202) 482–3130. 2015. Theodore C.Z. Johnston, Director, Office SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In of Business Liaison, Non-Career SES, Oral testimony: Those wishing to accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 4314(c)(4), Political Advisor present oral testimony at the hearing the National Telecommunications and must request an opportunity to do so in Information Administration (NTIA), Denise A. Yaag, writing no later than October 27, 2015. Department of Commerce (DOC), Director, Office of Executive Resources, Office Pre-scheduled speakers: Pre- announces the appointment of those of Human Resources Management, Office of scheduled speakers providing testimony individuals who have been selected to the Secretary/Office of the CFO/ASA, at the hearing should submit a written serve as members of NTIA’s Department of Commerce. copy of their testimony for inclusion in Performance Review Board. The [FR Doc. 2015–26575 Filed 10–19–15; 8:45 am] the record of the proceedings no later Performance Review Board is BILLING CODE 3510–25–P than November 10, 2015. responsible for (1) reviewing ADDRESSES: Public hearing: The TPAC performance appraisals and rating of will hold a public hearing on November Senior Executive Service (SES) members DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 3, 2015 beginning at 1:30 p.m., Eastern and (2) making recommendations to the Standard Time (EST), and ending at Patent and Trademark Office 3:00 p.m., EST, at the USPTO, Madison appointing authority on other performance management issues, such [Docket No. PTO–T–2015–0066] Auditorium South, Concourse Level, as pay adjustments, bonuses and Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street, Presidential Rank Awards for SES Trademark Public Advisory Committee Alexandria, Virginia 22314. members. The appointment of these Public Hearing on the Proposed Email: Written comments should be members to the Performance Review Trademark Fee Schedule sent by email addressed to fee.setting@ Board will be for a period of twenty-four uspto.gov. AGENCY: United States Patent and Postal mail: Comments may also be (24) months. Trademark Office, Commerce. submitted by postal mail addressed to: Dates: The period of appointment for ACTION: Notice of Public Hearing. United States Patent and Trademark those individuals selected for NTIA’s Office, Mail Stop CFO, P.O. Box 1450, Performance Review Board begins on SUMMARY: Under Section 10 of the Alexandria, VA 22313–1450, ATTN: October 20, 2015. The name, position America Invents Act (AIA), the United Brendan Hourigan. Although comments title, and type of appointment of each States Patent and Trademark Office may be submitted by postal mail, the member of NTIA’s Performance Review (USPTO) may set or adjust by rule any USPTO prefers to receive comments via Board are set forth below by patent or trademark fee established, email. Written comments should be organization: authorized, or charged under Title 35 of identified in the subject line of the Department of Commerce, National the United States Code or the email or postal mailing as ‘‘Fee Setting.’’ Telecommunications and Information Trademark Act of 1946, respectively. Because comments will be made Administration (NTIA) The USPTO currently is planning to set available for public inspection, or adjust trademark fees pursuant to its information that is not desired to be Paige R. Atkins, Associate Section 10 fee setting authority. As part made public, such as an address or Administrator for Spectrum of the rulemaking process to set or telephone number should not be Management, Career SES (New adjust trademark fees, the Trademark included in the comments. Member) Public Advisory Committee (TPAC) is Web cast: The public hearing will be Leonard M. Bechtel, Chief Financial mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES required under Section 10 of the AIA to available via Web cast. Information Officer and Director of hold a public hearing about any about the Web cast will be posted on the Administration, Career SES, proposed trademark fees, and the USPTO’s Internet Web site (address: Chairperson USPTO is required to assist TPAC in www.uspto.gov/about-us/performance- Evelyn Remaley-Hasch, Deputy carrying out that hearing. To that end, and-planning/fee-setting-and-adjusting) Associate Administrator for Policy the USPTO will make its proposed before the public hearing. Analysis and Development, Career trademark fees available as set forth in Transcripts: Transcript of the hearing SES, Advisor (New Member) the Supplementary Information section will be available on the USPTO Internet VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:55 Oct 19, 2015 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\20OCN1.SGM 20OCN1

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 202 / Tuesday, October 20, 2015 / Notices 63543 Web site (address: www.uspto.gov/ or adjusting fees also in the Federal States Patent and Trademark Office about-us/performance-and-planning/ Register. (USPTO) may set or adjust by rule any fee-setting-and-adjusting) shortly after Presently, the USPTO is planning to patent or trademark fee established, the hearing. exercise its fee setting authority to set or authorized, or charged under Title 35 of adjust trademark fees. The USPTO will the United States Code or the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: publish a proposed trademark fee Trademark Act of 1946, respectively. Brendan Hourigan, Office of the Chief schedule and related supplementary The USPTO currently is planning to set Financial Officer, by phone (571) 272– information for public viewing no later or adjust patent fees pursuant to its 8966, or by email at brendan.hourigan@ than October 27, 2015, on the USPTO uspto.gov. Section 10 fee setting authority. As part Internet Web site (address: of the rulemaking process to set or SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Requests www.uspto.gov/about-us/performance- adjust patent fees, the Patent Public to testify should indicate the following: and-planning/fee-setting-and-adjusting). Advisory Committee (PPAC) is required (1) The name of the person wishing to In turn, the TPAC will hold a public under Section 10 of the AIA to hold a testify; (2) the person’s contact hearing about the proposed trademark public hearing about any proposed information (telephone number and fee schedule on the date indicated patent fees, and the USPTO is required email address); (3) the organization(s) herein. The USPTO will assist the TPAC to assist PPAC in carrying out that the person represents, if any; and (4) an in holding the hearing by providing hearing. To that end, the USPTO will indication of the amount of time needed resources to organize the hearing and by make its proposed patent fees available for the testimony. Requests to testify notifying the public about the hearing, as set forth in the Supplementary must be submitted by email to Pamela such as through this notice. To gather Information section of this Notice before Lloyd at Pamela.Lloyd@uspto.gov. information from the public about the any PPAC hearing and will help the Based upon the requests received, an USPTO’s proposed trademark fees, the PPAC to notify the public about the agenda for witness testimony will be TPAC will post specific questions for hearing. Accordingly, this document sent to testifying requesters and posted the public’s consideration on the announces the dates and logistics for the on the USPTO Internet Web site TPAC’s Internet Web site (address: PPAC public hearing regarding USPTO (address: www.uspto.gov/about-us/ www.uspto.gov/about/advisory/tpac) proposed patent fees. Interested performance-and-planning/fee-setting- after the USPTO publishes its proposed members of the public are invited to and-adjusting). If time permits, the trademark fee schedule. The public may testify at the hearing and/or submit TPAC may permit unscheduled wish to address those questions in its written comments about the proposed testimony as well. hearing testimony and/or in written patent fees and the questions posed on Effective September 16, 2011, with comments submitted to TPAC as PPAC’s Web site about the proposed the passage of the AIA, the USPTO is described herein. fees. authorized under Section 10 of the AIA Following the TPAC public hearing, the USPTO will publish a Notice of DATES: Public hearing: November 19, to set or adjust by rule all patent and 2015. trademark fees established, authorized, Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register, setting forth its proposed Comments: For those wishing to or charged under Title 35 of the United submit written comments on the fee States Code and the Trademark Act of trademark fees. The publication of that Notice will open a comment window proposal that will be published by 1946, respectively. Patent and November 12, 2015, but not requesting trademark fees set or adjusted by rule through which the public may provide written comments directly to the an opportunity to testify at the public under Section 10 of the AIA may only hearing, the deadline for receipt of those recover the aggregate estimated costs to USPTO. Additional information about public comment to the USPTO will be written comments is November 25, the Office for processing, activities, 2015. services, and materials relating to provided in the USPTO’s Notice of Oral testimony: Those wishing to patents and trademarks, respectively, Proposed Rulemaking. present oral testimony at the hearing including administrative costs of the Dated: October 14, 2015. must request an opportunity to do so in Office with respect to each as the case Michelle K. Lee, writing no later than November 12, may be. Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual 2015. Congress set forth the process for the Property and Director of the United States Pre-scheduled speakers: Pre- USPTO to follow in setting or adjusting Patent and Trademark Office. scheduled speakers providing testimony patent and trademark fees by rule under [FR Doc. 2015–26572 Filed 10–19–15; 8:45 am] at the hearing should submit a written Section 10 of the AIA. Congress requires BILLING CODE 3510–16–P copy of their testimony for inclusion in the relevant advisory committee to hold the record of the proceedings no later a public hearing about the USPTO fee than November 25, 2015. proposals after receiving them from the DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ADDRESSES: Public hearing: The PPAC agency. Congress likewise requires the will hold a public hearing on November Patent and Office relevant advisory committee to prepare 19, 2015 beginning at 2:00 p.m., Eastern a written report on the proposed fees [Docket No. PTO–P–2015–0065] Standard Time (EST), and ending at and the USPTO to consider the relevant 4:00 p.m., EST, at the USPTO, Madison advisory committee’s report before Patent Public Advisory Committee Auditorium South, Concourse Level, finally setting or adjusting the fees. Public Hearing on the Proposed Patent Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street, Fee Schedule mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Further, Congress requires the USPTO Alexandria, Virginia 22314. to publish its proposed fees and AGENCY: United States Patent and Email: Written comments should be supporting rationale in the Federal Trademark Office, Department of sent by email addressed to fee.setting@ Register and give the public not less Commerce. uspto.gov. than 45 days in which to submit ACTION: Notice of Public Hearing. Postal mail: Comments may also be comments on the proposed change in submitted by postal mail addressed to: fees. Finally, Congress requires the SUMMARY: Under Section 10 of the United States Patent and Trademark USPTO to publish its final rule setting America Invents Act (AIA), the United Office, Mail Stop CFO, P.O. Box 1450, VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:55 Oct 19, 2015 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\20OCN1.SGM 20OCN1


Document Created: 2015-12-14 15:25:16
Document Modified: 2015-12-14 15:25:16
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of Public Hearing.
DatesPublic hearing: November 3, 2015.
ContactBrendan Hourigan, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, by phone (571) 272-8966, or by email at [email protected]
FR Citation80 FR 63542 
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