82 FR 29847 - Patent and Trademark Public Advisory Committees

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 125 (June 30, 2017)

Page Range		29847-29848
FR Document		2017-13769

On November 29, 1999, the President signed into law the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act (the ``Act''), Public Law 106-113, which, among other things, established two Public Advisory Committees to review the policies, goals, performance, budget and user fees of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with respect to patents, in the case of the Patent Public Advisory Committee, and with respect to trademarks, in the case of the Trademark Public Advisory Committee, and to advise the Director on these matters. The America Invents Act Technical Corrections Act made several amendments to the 1999 Act, including the requirement that the terms of the USPTO Public Advisory Committee members be realigned by 2014, so that December 1 be used as the start and end date, with terms staggered so that each year three existing terms expire and three new terms begin on December 1. Through this Notice, the USPTO is requesting nominations for up to three (3) members of the Patent Public Advisory Committee, and for up to three (3) members of the Trademark Public Advisory Committee, for terms of three years that begin on December 1, 2017.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 125 (Friday, June 30, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 125 (Friday, June 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29847-29848]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13769]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTC-C-2017-0028]


Patent and Trademark Public Advisory Committees

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and request for nominations for the Patent and Trademark 
Public Advisory Committees.

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SUMMARY: On November 29, 1999, the President signed into law the Patent 
and Trademark Office Efficiency Act (the ``Act''), Public Law 106-113, 
which, among other things, established two Public Advisory Committees 
to review the policies, goals, performance, budget and user fees of the 
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with respect to 
patents, in the case of the Patent Public Advisory Committee, and with 
respect to trademarks, in the case of the Trademark Public Advisory 
Committee, and to advise the Director on these matters. The America 
Invents Act Technical Corrections Act made several amendments to the 
1999 Act, including the requirement that the terms of the USPTO Public 
Advisory Committee members be realigned by 2014, so that December 1 be 
used as the start and end date, with terms staggered so that each year 
three existing terms expire and three new terms begin on December 1. 
Through this Notice, the USPTO is requesting nominations for up to 
three (3) members of the Patent Public Advisory Committee, and for up 
to three (3) members of the Trademark Public Advisory Committee, for 
terms of three years that begin on December 1, 2017.

DATES: Nominations must be postmarked or electronically transmitted on 
or before July 25, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to submit nominations should send the 
nominee's resum[eacute] by postal mail to Brendan McCommas, Acting 
Chief of Staff, Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Intellectual Property and Director of the

[[Page 29848]]

USPTO, Post Office Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450 or by 
electronic mail to: [email protected] for the Patent Public 
Advisory Committee, or [email protected] for the Trademark 
Public Advisory Committee.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brendan McCommas, Acting Chief of 
Staff, Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual 
Property and Director of the USPTO, at (571) 272-8600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Advisory Committees' duties include:
     Review and advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO on matters relating to 
policies, goals, performance, budget, and user fees of the USPTO 
relating to patents and trademarks, respectively; and
     Within 60 days after the end of each fiscal year: (1) 
Prepare an annual report on matters listed above; (2) transmit the 
report to the Secretary of Commerce, the President, and the Committees 
on the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives; and 
(3) publish the report in the Official Gazette of the USPTO.

Advisory Committees

    The Public Advisory Committees are each composed of nine (9) voting 
members who are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce (the 
``Secretary'') and serve at the pleasure of the Secretary for three-
year terms. Members are eligible for reappointment for a second 
consecutive three-year term. The Public Advisory Committee members must 
be citizens of the United States and are chosen to represent the 
interests of diverse users of the United States Patent and Trademark 
Office with respect to patents, in the case of the Patent Public 
Advisory Committee, and with respect to trademarks, in the case of the 
Trademark Public Advisory Committee. Members must represent small and 
large entity applicants located in the United States in proportion to 
the number of applications filed by such applicants. The Committees 
must include individuals with ``substantial background and achievement 
in finance, management, labor relations, science, technology, and 
office automation.'' 35 U.S.C. 5(b)(3). Each of the Public Advisory 
Committees also includes three (3) non-voting members representing each 
labor organization recognized by the USPTO. Administration policy 
discourages the appointment of federally registered lobbyists to agency 
advisory boards and commissions (Lobbyists on Agency Boards and 
Commissions, http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/09/23/lobbyist-agency-boards-and-commissions (Sept. 23, 2009)); cf. Exec. Order No. 13490, 74 
FR 4673 (January 21, 2009) (While Executive Order 13490 does not 
specifically apply to federally registered lobbyists appointed by 
agency or department heads, it sets forth the Administration's general 
policy of decreasing the influence of special interests in the Federal 
Government).

Procedures and Guidelines of the Patent and Trademark Public Advisory 
Committees

    Each newly appointed member of the Patent and Trademark Public 
Advisory Committees will serve for a three-year term that begins on 
December 1, 2017, and ends on December 1, 2020. As required by the 1999 
Act, members of the Patent and Trademark Public Advisory Committees 
will receive compensation for each day (including travel time) while 
the member is attending meetings or engaged in the business of that 
Advisory Committee. The enabling statute states that members are to be 
compensated at the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay in 
effect for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of 
Title 5, United States Code. Committee members are compensated on an 
hourly basis, calculated at the daily rate. While away from home or 
regular place of business, each member shall be allowed travel 
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by 
Section 5703 of Title 5, United States Code.

Applicability of Certain Ethics Laws

    Public Advisory Committee Members are Special Government Employees 
within the meaning of Section 202 of Title 18, United States Code. The 
following additional information includes several, but not all, of the 
ethics rules that apply to members, and assumes that members are not 
engaged in Public Advisory Committee business more than 60 days during 
any period of 365 consecutive days.
     Each member will be required to file a confidential 
financial disclosure form within thirty (30) days of appointment. 5 CFR 
2634.202(c), 2634.204, 2634.903, and 2634.904(b).
     Each member will be subject to many of the public 
integrity laws, including criminal bars against representing a party in 
a particular matter that came before the member's committee and that 
involved at least one specific party. 18 U.S.C. 205(c); see also 18 
U.S.C. 207 for post-membership bars. A member also must not act on a 
matter in which the member (or any of certain closely related entities) 
has a financial interest. 18 U.S.C. 208.
     Representation of foreign interests may also raise issues. 
35 U.S.C. 5(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. 219.

Meetings of the Patent and Trademark Public Advisory Committees

    Meetings of each Advisory Committee will take place at the call of 
the respective Committee Chair to consider an agenda set by that Chair. 
Meetings may be conducted in person, telephonically, on-line through 
the Internet, or by other appropriate means. The meetings of each 
Advisory Committee will be open to the public except each Advisory 
Committee may, by majority vote, meet in executive session when 
considering personnel, privileged, or other confidential information. 
Nominees must have the ability to participate in Committee business 
through the Internet.

    Dated: June 26, 2017.
Joseph Matal,
Performing the Functions and Duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce 
for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and 
Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2017-13769 Filed 6-29-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-16-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 125 / Friday, June 30, 2017 / Notices 29847

the National Telecommunications and agenda permit, any member of the reports are available on NTIA’s Web site
Information Administration (NTIA) on public may speak to or otherwise at https://www.ntia.doc.gov/category/
spectrum management policy matters. address the Committee regarding the csmac.
DATES: The meeting will be held on agenda items. See Open Meeting and Dated: June 27, 2017.
August 15, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 Public Participation Policy, available at Kathy D. Smith,
a.m., Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). https://www.ntia.doc.gov/category/
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at csmac.
and Information Administration.
the Renaissance Boulder Flatiron Hotel, Time and Date: The meeting will be
held on August 15, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. [FR Doc. 2017–13776 Filed 6–29–17; 8:45 am]
500 Flatiron Boulevard, Broomfield, CO
80021. Public comments may be mailed to 11:00 a.m. MDT. The meeting time BILLING CODE 3510–60–P

to Commerce Spectrum Management and the agenda topics are subject to
Advisory Committee, National change. The meeting will be available
via two-way audio link and may be DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Telecommunications and Information
Administration, 1401 Constitution webcast. Please refer to NTIA’s Web United States Patent and Trademark
Avenue NW., Room 4600, Washington, site, https://www.ntia.doc.gov/category/ Office
DC 20230 or emailed to dreed@ csmac, for the most up-to-date meeting
ntia.doc.gov. agenda and access information. [Docket No. PTC–C–2017–0028]
Place: The meeting will be held at the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Renaissance Boulder Flatiron Hotel, 500 Patent and Trademark Public Advisory
David J. Reed, Designated Federal Flatiron Boulevard, Broomfield, CO Committees
Officer, at (202) 482–5955 or dreed@ 80021. The meeting will be open to the
ntia.doc.gov; and/or visit NTIA’s Web AGENCY: United States Patent and
public and members of the press on a Trademark Office, Commerce.
site at https://www.ntia.doc.gov/ first-come, first-served basis as space is
category/csmac. ACTION: Notice and request for
limited. The public meeting is
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
nominations for the Patent and
physically accessible to people with
Background: The Committee provides Trademark Public Advisory
disabilities. Individuals requiring
advice to the Assistant Secretary of Committees.
accommodations, such as sign language
Commerce for Communications and interpretation or other ancillary aids, are SUMMARY: On November 29, 1999, the
Information on needed reforms to asked to notify Mr. Reed at (202) 482– President signed into law the Patent and
domestic spectrum policies and 5955 or dreed@ntia.doc.gov at least ten Trademark Office Efficiency Act (the
management in order to: License radio (10) business days before the meeting. ‘‘Act’’), Public Law 106–113, which,
frequencies in a way that maximizes Status: Interested parties and among other things, established two
public benefits; keep wireless networks members of the public are invited to Public Advisory Committees to review
as open to innovation as possible; and attend and to submit written comments the policies, goals, performance, budget
make wireless services available to all to the Committee at any time before or and user fees of the United States Patent
Americans. See Charter at https:// after the meeting. Parties wishing to and Trademark Office (USPTO) with
www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/ submit written comments for respect to patents, in the case of the
publications/csmac_charter-2017.pdf. consideration by the Committee in Patent Public Advisory Committee, and
This Committee is subject to the Federal advance of a meeting may send them via with respect to trademarks, in the case
Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 postal mail to Commerce Spectrum of the Trademark Public Advisory
U.S.C. App. 2, and is consistent with the Management Advisory Committee, Committee, and to advise the Director
National Telecommunications and National Telecommunications and on these matters. The America Invents
Information Administration Act, 47 Information Administration, 1401 Act Technical Corrections Act made
U.S.C. 904(b). The Committee functions Constitution Avenue NW., Room 4600, several amendments to the 1999 Act,
solely as an advisory body in Washington, DC 20230. It would be including the requirement that the terms
compliance with the FACA. For more helpful if paper submissions also of the USPTO Public Advisory
information about the Committee visit: include a compact disc (CD) that Committee members be realigned by
https://www.ntia.doc.gov/category/ contains the comments in Microsoft 2014, so that December 1 be used as the
csmac. Word and/or PDF file formats. CDs
Matters to Be Considered: The start and end date, with terms staggered
should be labeled with the name and
Committee provides advice to the so that each year three existing terms
organizational affiliation of the filer.
Assistant Secretary to assist in expire and three new terms begin on
Alternatively, comments may be
developing and maintaining spectrum December 1. Through this Notice, the
submitted via electronic mail to dreed@
management policies that enable the USPTO is requesting nominations for up
ntia.doc.gov and should also be in one
United States to maintain or strengthen to three (3) members of the Patent
or both of the file formats specified
its global leadership role in the Public Advisory Committee, and for up
above. Comments must be received five
introduction of communications to three (3) members of the Trademark
(5) business days before the scheduled
technology, services, and innovation; Public Advisory Committee, for terms of
meeting date in order to provide
thus expanding the economy, adding three years that begin on December 1,
sufficient time for review. Comments
jobs, and increasing international trade, 2017.
received after this date will be
while at the same time providing for the distributed to the Committee, but may DATES: Nominations must be
expansion of existing technologies and not be reviewed prior to the meeting. postmarked or electronically
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES

supporting the country’s homeland Records: NTIA maintains records of transmitted on or before July 25, 2017.
security, national defense, and other all Committee proceedings. Committee ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to submit
critical needs of government missions. records are available for public nominations should send the nominee’s
NTIA will post a detailed agenda on its inspection at NTIA’s Washington, DC resumé by postal mail to Brendan
Web site, https://www.ntia.doc.gov/ office at the address above. Documents McCommas, Acting Chief of Staff, Office
category/csmac, prior to the meeting. To including the Committee’s charter, of the Under Secretary of Commerce for
the extent that time and the meeting member list, agendas, minutes, and Intellectual Property and Director of the

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29848 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 125 / Friday, June 30, 2017 / Notices

USPTO, Post Office Box 1450, Boards and Commissions, http:// in which the member (or any of certain
Alexandria, Virginia 22313–1450 or by www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/09/23/ closely related entities) has a financial
electronic mail to: PPACnominations@ lobbyist-agency-boards-and- interest. 18 U.S.C. 208.
uspto.gov for the Patent Public Advisory commissions (Sept. 23, 2009)); cf. Exec. • Representation of foreign interests
Committee, or TPACnominations@ Order No. 13490, 74 FR 4673 (January may also raise issues. 35 U.S.C. 5(a)(1)
uspto.gov for the Trademark Public 21, 2009) (While Executive Order 13490 and 18 U.S.C. 219.
Advisory Committee. does not specifically apply to federally
registered lobbyists appointed by agency Meetings of the Patent and Trademark
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
or department heads, it sets forth the Public Advisory Committees
Brendan McCommas, Acting Chief of
Staff, Office of the Under Secretary of Administration’s general policy of Meetings of each Advisory Committee
Commerce for Intellectual Property and decreasing the influence of special will take place at the call of the
Director of the USPTO, at (571) 272– interests in the Federal Government). respective Committee Chair to consider
8600. Procedures and Guidelines of the an agenda set by that Chair. Meetings
Patent and Trademark Public Advisory may be conducted in person,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Committees telephonically, on-line through the
Advisory Committees’ duties include:
• Review and advise the Under Internet, or by other appropriate means.
Each newly appointed member of the The meetings of each Advisory
Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Patent and Trademark Public Advisory
Property and Director of the USPTO on Committee will be open to the public
Committees will serve for a three-year except each Advisory Committee may,
matters relating to policies, goals, term that begins on December 1, 2017,
performance, budget, and user fees of by majority vote, meet in executive
and ends on December 1, 2020. As session when considering personnel,
the USPTO relating to patents and required by the 1999 Act, members of
trademarks, respectively; and privileged, or other confidential
the Patent and Trademark Public information. Nominees must have the
• Within 60 days after the end of each Advisory Committees will receive
fiscal year: (1) Prepare an annual report ability to participate in Committee
compensation for each day (including business through the Internet.
on matters listed above; (2) transmit the travel time) while the member is
report to the Secretary of Commerce, the attending meetings or engaged in the Dated: June 26, 2017.
President, and the Committees on the business of that Advisory Committee. Joseph Matal,
Judiciary of the Senate and the House of The enabling statute states that members Performing the Functions and Duties of the
Representatives; and (3) publish the are to be compensated at the daily Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual
report in the Official Gazette of the equivalent of the annual rate of basic Property and Director of the United States
USPTO. pay in effect for level III of the Executive Patent and Trademark Office.
Schedule under section 5314 of Title 5, [FR Doc. 2017–13769 Filed 6–29–17; 8:45 am]
Advisory Committees
United States Code. Committee BILLING CODE 3510–16–P
The Public Advisory Committees are members are compensated on an hourly
each composed of nine (9) voting basis, calculated at the daily rate. While
members who are appointed by the away from home or regular place of DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Secretary of Commerce (the ‘‘Secretary’’) business, each member shall be allowed
and serve at the pleasure of the United States Patent and Trademark
travel expenses, including per diem in
Secretary for three-year terms. Members Office
lieu of subsistence, as authorized by
are eligible for reappointment for a Section 5703 of Title 5, United States
second consecutive three-year term. The International Design Applications
Code. (Hague Agreement)
Public Advisory Committee members
must be citizens of the United States Applicability of Certain Ethics Laws
ACTION:Proposed extension of a
and are chosen to represent the interests Public Advisory Committee Members continuing information collection;
of diverse users of the United States are Special Government Employees comment request.
Patent and Trademark Office with within the meaning of Section 202 of
respect to patents, in the case of the Title 18, United States Code. The SUMMARY: The United States Patent and
Patent Public Advisory Committee, and following additional information Trademark Office (USPTO), as required
with respect to trademarks, in the case includes several, but not all, of the by the Paperwork Reduction Act of
of the Trademark Public Advisory ethics rules that apply to members, and 1995, invites comments on a proposed
Committee. Members must represent assumes that members are not engaged extension of an existing collection:
small and large entity applicants located in Public Advisory Committee business 0651–0075 (International Design
in the United States in proportion to the more than 60 days during any period of Applications (Hague Agreement)).
number of applications filed by such 365 consecutive days. DATES: Written comments must be
applicants. The Committees must • Each member will be required to
include individuals with ‘‘substantial submitted on or before August 29, 2017.
file a confidential financial disclosure
background and achievement in finance, form within thirty (30) days of ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
management, labor relations, science, appointment. 5 CFR 2634.202(c), by any of the following methods:
technology, and office automation.’’ 35 2634.204, 2634.903, and 2634.904(b). Email: InformationCollection@
U.S.C. 5(b)(3). Each of the Public • Each member will be subject to uspto.gov. Include ‘‘0651–0075
Advisory Committees also includes many of the public integrity laws, comment’’ in the subject line of the
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES

three (3) non-voting members including criminal bars against message.
representing each labor organization representing a party in a particular Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://
recognized by the USPTO. matter that came before the member’s www.regulations.gov.
Administration policy discourages the committee and that involved at least one Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records and
appointment of federally registered specific party. 18 U.S.C. 205(c); see also Information Governance Division
lobbyists to agency advisory boards and 18 U.S.C. 207 for post-membership bars. Director, Office of the Chief Technology
commissions (Lobbyists on Agency A member also must not act on a matter Officer, United States Patent and

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Document Created: 2017-06-30 06:01:19
Document Modified: 2017-06-30 06:01:19

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice and request for nominations for the Patent and Trademark Public Advisory Committees.
Dates		Nominations must be postmarked or electronically transmitted on or before July 25, 2017.
Contact		Brendan McCommas, Acting Chief of Staff, Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, at (571) 272-8600.
FR Citation		82 FR 29847

82 FR 29847 - Patent and Trademark Public Advisory Committees

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEUnited States Patent and Trademark Office

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 125 (June 30, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office