The Power of the Pen: New Bills Signed into Law

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 3187, H.R. 6582 and S. 3486

On Tuesday, December 18, 2012, the President signed into law:

H.R. 3187, the "March of Dimes Commemorative Coin Act of 2012," which requires the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in recognition of the March of Dimes;

H.R. 6582, the "American Energy Manufacturing Technical Corrections Act," which modifies the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, with regard to energy efficiency standards for appliances and National Energy Conservation Policy Act provisions on advanced electricity metering; and

S. 3486, the "Patent Law Treaties Implementation Act of 2012," which amends Federal patent law to implement two treaties:  the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, which would allow an applicant to obtain an international registration of an industrial design with a single application; and the Patent Law Treaty, which would harmonize and streamline various formal procedures related to patent applications and patents.