Washington– U.S. Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and George V. Voinovich (R-OH) led a bipartisan letter signed by 42 senators to President Obama calling on the president to protect American intellectual property (IP), jobs and innovation in the United Nations (U.N.) Framework Convention on climate change negotiation.

“Unless we take aggressive action to protect the intellectual property of our entrepreneurs and manufacturers, we will continue to watch profits and jobs migrate overseas,” Sen. Bayh said. “Protecting our innovations in international climate negotiations will encourage the development of more American technology and help us maintain the economic strength we will need to advance our efforts to reduce carbon emissions.”

“We must fight to protect American innovators, entrepreneurs and manufacturers involved in creating our cutting-edge clean energy technologies,” Sen. Voinovich said. “It is universally held that the answer to climate change lies in technology. Now is not the time to take away a major incentive, undermine innovation and weaken our economy. We must protect American IP - thus protecting American jobs, creativity and innovation.”

Bill Keith, President of SunRise Solar in St. John, Indiana praised the letter, saying, “Senator Bayh is bringing attention to the protection of American patents and breakthrough innovations at a critical time. Some countries are using the climate change negotiations as a means to obtain our technological designs. If they succeed, it will cost Indiana jobs and harm our global competitiveness.  Our Hoosier-made products contribute to the fight against global warming and stimulate job growth, and environmentally responsible companies like ours must be protected as the climate change debate moves forward.”

The letter sent to the president highlights the importance of safeguarding IP rights for clean technology as the United States takes part in the U.N. climate change negotiations this December in Copenhagen. It recognizes the president’s commitment and asks for his support for IP rights in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and urges further support from American negotiators as the process continues. There are international efforts to weaken IP protections, which the senators strongly oppose.

The senators also recognize the importance of a strong IP system in attracting the research and development dollars needed for investment in new technologies that will bring jobs and solutions to global problems. IP rights allow innovators to attract the investment needed to develop and market their ideas, promoting economic growth and prosperity and creating high-value American jobs.

Sens.Bayh and Voinovich have worked hard to protect American innovation for years. The senators introduced legislation in the 110th Congress designed to address intellectual property rights enforcement issues and to protect American innovation and advancement. The legislation was introduced July 2008 by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Sens. Bayh and Voinovich. The bill was signed into law October 2008.

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