Government “Shut-Down” News

According to acting Director of the USPTO, Teresa Rea, there is sufficient carryover funding to continue operations of the patent and trademark activities for at least a short time, in case the House of Representative and Senate are unable to agree on a Continuing Resolution by Tuesday, October 1, 2013. The carryover amounts to about 5% of the patent budget and about 40% of the trademark budget for operations, which means the patent examination function can continue until about Friday, October 18, and the trademark examination function until at least the end of the calendar year. In the past, government shut-downs for lack of a budget have only lasted a week or so, but if it plays out differently this time, patent operations would go to a minimal, maintenance level.