The United States is one of the most innovative nations in the world. The foundation for our strength in innovation rests on our commitment to the rule of law and our strong system of protecting intellectual property (IP). Our Founding Fathers recognized the critical value of intellectual property to our nation’s future and enshrined in our Constitution the protection of inventors’ discoveries (Article I, Section 8). They believed that America’s ability to invent the “next great breakthrough” required powerful incentives that included enforceable property rights.
