An Act to amend title 35, United States Code, "Patents", and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-601 · H.R. 9199 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jan 2, 1975 · Commerce
Sponsor: Rep. Thomas Railsback (R-IL-19)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Provides that there shall be in the Patent Office a Commissioner of Patents, a Deputy Commissioner, two Assistant Commissioners, and not more than fifteen examiners-in-chief, who shall, with the exception of the examiners-in-chief, be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Provides that the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, the two Assistant Commissioners and the examiners-in-chief shall constitute a Board of Appeals to review adverse decisions of examiners upon application for patents.
Provides that the Commissioner may accept unavoidable delays in payment of issue fees.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 10 actions.
- Jan 2, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-601.
- Dec 24, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 18, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Dec 17, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Mar 19, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Mar 18, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Feb 28, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Jul 11, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.