On Wednesday a bill was reintroduced in the House (H.R. 1663) and the Senate (S. 780) to nearly eliminate design patent protection for automobile replacement parts. The House bill was introduced by Rep. DARRELL ISSA (R-California) and co-sponsored by Rep. ZOE LOFGREN (D-California). The Senate counterpart was introduced by Sen. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE (D-Rhode Island) and co-sponsored by Sen. ORRIN HATCH (R-Utah). The bill would eliminate design patent protection for a motor vehicle replacement part 30 months after the part was offered to the public for sale. Last year IPO wrote to the House explaining that IPO opposed the bill for two reasons: “First, it would virtually eliminate design patent protection for the automobile industry (cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles), weakening incentives for innovation and eliminating U.S. manufacturing jobs. Second, the bill would set a harmful precedent for all U.S. intellectual property rights.” IPO Executive Director HERB WAMSLEY said, “It is hard to name a bill in Congress that is more anti-IP than this one.”