Foreign share of U.S. patents down from '88 peak Percent 501 I

45

40 W-

π i 0 I I I I I I 1 I I I I 1982 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92

Note: Figures for federal fiscal years ending Sept. 30. Source: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

available for 1992, but in calendar-year 1991, five of the top 10 pa tent-winning firms were Japanese: Toshiba (1), Mitsu­bishi (2), Hitachi (3), Canon (5), and Fuji (7). Four U.S. firms were on the list: East­man Kodak (4), General Electric (6), IBM (8), and Motorola (10). The Dutch-owned Philips Corp. ranked ninth.

PTO figures for chemical patents may be following the same trend as patents in general—a continuous rise in the foreign share followed by a recent decline—but it is too early to be sure. The share of chem­ical patents granted foreigners rose steadi­ly from 40% in 1978 to a peak of 50% in 1990. (These figures cover calendar years and utility patents only.) However, the foreign share dropped to 49% in calendar 1991. Data are not yet available for 1992.

As with patents overall, Japan was far in the lead in chemical patents, winning 21% in 1991. Germany (10%) was second, with the U.K. and France (4%) each) next. The top 10 companies in gaining chemical patents in 1991 were Bayer (477), Du Pont (463), Fuji (401), Ciba-Geigy (395), BASF (365), Eastman Kodak (332), Mobil Oil (302), General Electric (296), Dow Chemi­cal (294), and Hoechst (265).

Michael K. Kirk, assistant PTO com­missioner for external affairs, points to one factor in the rising U.S. share of pat­ents issued: From 1971 to 1983, patent applications by U.S. inventors declined from 71,089 to 59,390. Since then, U.S. fil­ings have rebounded, reaching 90,643 in 1990. The foreign share of applications thus has declined slightly, from 47% in 1987 to 45% in 1990.

Richard Seltzer

Federal Alert-new legislation This C&EN listing highlights legislation in the House and Senate between Jan. 5 and 21. Bills are listed under subject area by bill number, primary sponsor, and committee(s) to which they were re­ferred.

• HOUSE Business. H.R. 241—Levin (D.-Mich.). Provides tax credit for investments in new manufacturing and other produc­tion equipment. Ways & Means.

H.R. 461—Hoagland (D.-Neb.). Al­lows accelerated depreciation for equipment used to manufacture ad­vanced materials or to develop ad­vanced technologies; imposes mini­mum tax on foreign and foreign-owned corporations operating in U.S. Ways & Means.

Education. H.R. 265—McCandless (R.­Calif.). Directs that employer-provid­ed educational assistance never be counted as part of employee's gross income. Ways & Means.

H.R. 396—Solomon (R.-N.Y.). Says scholarships and fellowships are not to be counted toward gross income, allows for deduction of interest paid on educational loans. Ways & Means.

Environment. H.R. 109—Boehlert (R.-N.Y.). Establishes Department of the Environment; provides for Bureau of Environmental Statistics and Presi­dential Commission on Improving Environmental Protection. Govern­ment Operations; Foreign Affairs.

H.R. 131—Collins (D.-Ill.). Requires EPA to regulate recycling and man­agement of used oil, reduce emissions of lead into ambient air. Energy & Commerce.

H.R. 368—Snowe (R.-Me.). Requires that plastic containers introduced into interstate commerce bear mark­ing that identifies type of resin used to produce container. Energy & Commerce.

Research. H.R. 70—Hoagland (D.-Neb.). Provides for termination of Superconducting Super Collider proj­ect. Science, Space & Technology.

H.R. 305—Porter (R.-Ill.). Establishes national policy for conservation of bi­ological diversity, sets up research program on sustainable uses of biotic natural resources. Science, Space & Technology; Merchant Marine & Fish­eries.

H.R. 437—Wyden (D.-Ore.). Directs NIH to establish research program on antiprogestin drugs. Energy & Com­merce.

H.R. 441—Zimmer (R.-N.J.). Termi­nates space station Freedom program. Science, Space & Technology.

Superfund. H.R. 540—Smith (R.-N.J.). Provides that municipalities and indi­viduals cannot be held liable under the act for generation or transporta­tion oi municipal waste. Energy & Commerce.

H.R. 541—Smith (R.-N.J.). Establishes maximum limit of liability for munici­palities or persons involved in genera­tion or transportation oi municipal waste. Energy & Commerce.

Waste. H.R. 105—Applegate (D.­Ohio). Allows states to regulate trans­port, disposal of solid waste within their territory. Energy & Commerce.

H.R. 395—Solomon (R.-N.Y.). Pro­vides refundable income tax credit for recycling of hazardous wastes. Wavs & Means.

H.R. 495—dinger (R.-Pa.). Requires preparation, distribution of communi­ty information statements for new hazardous waste treatment or dispos­al facilities. Energy & Commerce.

Work force. H.R. 467—Morella (R.-Md.). Establishes Commission on the Advancement of Women in the Sci­ence & Engineering Workforce. Edu­cation & Labor.

• SENATE Competitiveness. S. 4—Hollings (D.-S.C.). Expands National Institute of Standards & Technology's advanced technology program, enhances agen­cy's support of state-run manufactur­ing programs, increases NIST's num­ber of manufacturing technology cen­ters, and sets up three pilot programs designed to stimulate private invest­ment in cutting-edge technology com­panies. Commerce, Science & Trans­portation.

Environment. S. 110—Moynihan (D.-N.Y.). Requires EPA Administrator to seek advice concerning environmental risks. Environment & Public Works.

S. 171—Glenn (D.-Ohio). Establishes Department of the Environment, Bu­reau of Environmental Statistics, and Presidential Commission on Improv­ing Environmental Protection. Gov­ernmental Affairs.

Taxes. S. 65—Nickles (R.-Okla.). Im­poses tariff on imported crude oil equal to difference between $25 and average international price of crude oil during preceding four weeks, sets tar­iff on imported petroleum products $3.00 higher than tariff calculated for imported crude oil. Finance.

FEBRUARY 22, 1993 C&EN 17