Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is partnering with entrepreneurs and advocates to launch a coalition to counter emerging policy threats to U.S. innovation from excessive government overreach. This includes a recent Biden Administration proposal allowing the government to seize the intellectual property (IP) rights held by American companies.
The ability of private-sector entrepreneurs to work alongside public institutions in emerging fields of science and technology has helped the United States remain the world's innovation leader. These public-private partnerships help create transformative industries that benefit society—from next-generation energy solutions to smart city infrastructure.
However, proposals from Washington pose a threat to progress and risk fostering a hostile environment for U.S. innovation and IP rights.
In response, the U.S. Chamber today announced the creation of the Business Alliance to Stop Innovation Confiscation Coalition (BASIC Coalition), bringing together diverse voices from the energy, technology, manufacturing, telecommunications, semiconductors, and pharmaceutical industries who share a common belief in the benefits of public-private partnerships to deliver solutions, solve problems, and enhance lives.
Together, the BASIC Coalition is committed to:
- Champion collaboration, not confiscation: Stop the Biden Administration's attempt to exploit the landmark and bipartisan Bayh-Dole Act as a backdoor method to impose price controls by using "march-in" rights to seize business patents.
- Counter anti-business rhetoric: Challenge false narratives belittling public-private partnership roles in job creation, industry transformation, and economic prosperity while debunking claims that seizing patents lowers prices.
- Protect America's innovation ecosystem: Advocate for policies that support U.S. innovation by safeguarding constitutional IP rights, fostering collaboration between public and private sectors, and encouraging risk-taking and investment.
- Let universities and businesses work together: Advocate for policies that foster collaboration between research institutions and the private sector, ensuring that innovative research translates into market-ready products and technologies.
"Public-private partnerships have birthed transformative industries and impressive achievements across a range of fields—from space exploration to wireless communications—to the benefit of people worldwide," said Tom Quaadman, Executive Vice President of the Global Innovation Policy. "The Biden Administration's push to expand government powers threatens to stifle innovation and erode America's competitive advantage. Misusing march-in rights for price controls could devastate industries and diminish our role as the global innovation leader."
The BASIC Coalition's honorary Chair, Judge Paul Michel (Ret.), served over twenty years on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, including five years as Chief Judge.
"As a former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, I strongly support the mission of the BASIC Coalition to protect private property rights from government confiscation and defend free enterprise, and I am proud to serve as its honorary Chair. The proposed abuse of march-in rights violates settled principles of U.S. law and will erode the foundation of American ingenuity, endangering both innovation and economic growth."
At the BASIC Coalition's Capitol Hill launch, the group announced a seven-figure" back-to-basics" initiative to educate policymakers and the public on the vital role of public-private collaboration in maintaining the United States' global innovation leadership.
"We aim to educate our nation's leaders about this misguided proposal to preserve the risk-taking and entrepreneurship essential to America's standing as the wellspring of technological leadership and individual opportunity," Judge Michel said.
