Congress · Laws

A bill to carry into effect certain provisions of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and for other purposes.

Public Law 94-131 · S. 24 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Nov 14, 1975 · Commerce

Sponsor: Sen. John McClellan (D-AR)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 349 yea, 5 nay349–5
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.

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Summary

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

Provides for the implementation of specified provisions of the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Provides that the Patent Office shall act as a Receiving Office for international applications filed by nationals or residents of the United States, and may also act: (1) as a Receiving Office for international applications; and (2) as an International Searching Authority with respect to international applications.

States that a national application shall be entitled to the right of priority based on a prior filed international application which designated at least one country other than the United States. Sets forth the order of priorities as between other applications. Specifies the procedure for withdrawal of international applications and for review of actions of other authorities.

Provides that the filing of an international application in a country other than the United States on the invention made in this country shall be considered to constitute the filing of an application in a foreign country, whether or not the United States is designated in that international application.

Enumerates the items to be filed by the applicant in the Patent Office for commencement of the national stage of processing. States that all questions of substance and procedure in an international application designating the United States shall be determined as in the case of national applications regularly filed in the Patent Office.

Provides that the publication under the treaty of an international application shall confer no rights and shall have no effect under this title other than that of a printed publication.

Specifies the fees required and permitted to be charged by the Patent Office. Provides for the allocation of funds appropriated to the Patent Office, to the Department of State for the purpose of payment of the share on the part of the United States to the working capital fund established under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

Makes conforming amendments to the patent provisions of the United States Code relating to: (1) conditions for patentability; novelty and loss of right to patent; (2) in inventions made abroad; (3) specification of the invention; (4) drawings; benefits of earlier filing dates in the U.S.; and (5) presumption of validity; defenses.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 350 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

350 yea5 nay78 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(228)

Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. John PatmanD-TX-1
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
Rep. Philip HayesD-IN-8
Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Torbert MacdonaldD-MA-7
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Donald RiegleD-MI-7
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Wayne HaysD-OH-18
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Tim HallD-IL-15
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
Rep. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
Rep. Richard Vander VeenD-MI-5
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
Rep. Thomas ReesD-CA-23
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Allan HoweD-UT-2
Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Wilbur MillsD-AR-2
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Robert StephensD-GA-10
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Phillip LandrumD-GA-9
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. Lawrence McDonaldD-GA-7

Republicans who voted yea(122)

Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Andrew HinshawR-CA-40
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-16
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Shirley PettisR-CA-37
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Chuck GrassleyR-IA-3
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-18
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-39
Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-33
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4
Rep. Sam SteigerR-AZ-3
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. George HansenR-ID-2
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 490 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.

Judiciary Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Judiciary Committee · Senate · referred to, reported by

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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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.

Nov 14, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 94-131.
Nov 5, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Nov 3, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, roll call #661 (349-5).House roll call 661
FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
Oct 29, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
Jun 23, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
Jun 21, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
Jun 19, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
Jan 15, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate

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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.