[Pages S1426-S1427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY MANAGERS 
                              ANNIVERSARY

<bullet> Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, as chairman of the Senate Judiciary 
Committee's Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, I rise to celebrate 
the Association of University Technology Managers' 50th anniversary.
  The Society of University Patent Administrators, known as SUPA, was 
first formed in 1975 to focus on how best to advance discoveries from 
university labs into the marketplace. In the decades since, SUPA was 
renamed the Association of University Technology Managers and now is 
known as AUTM. They championed the 1980 Bayh-Dole Act, which allowed 
universities and inventors to retain the intellectual property rights 
of discoveries made using Federal funding and helped technology 
transfer blossom.

[[Page S1427]]

  Technology transfer has had a profound effect on the American economy 
and is estimated to have created more than 19,000 startup companies, up 
to 6.5 million jobs, and $2 trillion in economic impact since 1996. 
Technology transfer, via AUTM and the many inventors that they assist, 
help ensure that the United States remains the world leader in 
innovation. Therefore, on behalf of myself and Senator Chris Coons--my 
longtime partner on the IP Subcommittee--I recognize AUTM's 50th 
anniversary and commend the many technology transfer professionals on 
their successes to make our Nation safer, more vibrant, and 
healthier.<bullet>

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