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Patents for Humanity Act of 2022

Public Law 117-245 · H.R. 5796 · 117th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Dec 20, 2022 · Commerce

Sponsor: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8)

Cosponsors (1): Rep. Victoria Spartz

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 396 yea, 24 nay396–24
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

This bill provides statutory authority for a program to award certificates that may be used to accelerate certain proceedings and applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). The program established under this bill shall be treated as the successor to the existing Patents for Humanity program.

Under this bill, the PTO must hold a competition at least once every two years to award certificates to eligible entities that submit a patent application that addresses a humanitarian issue.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 117th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 396 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

396 yea24 nay11 present or did not vote

ProEstablishmentAnti
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(216)

Republicans who voted yea(180)

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 958 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • S. 4210Related bill

    Patents for Humanity Act of 2022

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 26 actions.

  1. Dec 20, 2022Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-245.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 16, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 6, 2022Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 396 - 24 (Roll no. 511).House roll call 511
  6. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  7. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 396 - 24 (Roll no. 511).House roll call 511
  8. Dec 5, 2022Resolving differencesResolving differences · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  9. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Ms. Jackson Lee moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
  10. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the Senate amendment to H.R. 5796.
  11. Nov 30, 2022FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  12. Nov 28, 2022FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  13. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  15. Apr 28, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  16. Apr 27, 2022FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  17. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  18. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5796.
  19. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  20. FloorFloor · Mr. Jeffries moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  21. CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 223.
  22. CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-302.
  23. Dec 8, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  24. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  25. Nov 1, 2021CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
  26. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 6502SenateSen. Patrick LeahyD-VT· offered Nov 28, 2022Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Nov 28, 2022: Amendment SA 6502 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.