Washington, D.C. - The following statement has been issued by Michael Makin, President & CEO of Printing Industries of America, regarding passage of HR 3309, the Innovation Act, a bill that would combat abusive patent litigation, such as patent troll activity against printing companies:

“Today’s passage of the Innovation Act is a major first step in curbing the abusive patent litigation practices that have targeted printing companies by an alarming rate this year. The future of print depends heavily on innovation and technology. Therefore, America’s printing and graphic communications industry applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for demonstrating its strong support for rooting out the ‘patent trolls’ so that printers large and small have the freedom to redefine print through technology while doing what print has always done best: creating jobs. Today’s vote is also a good day for bipartisanship in the nation’s capital. Printing Industries of America looks forward to continuing to support bipartisan legislative efforts to address patent litigation reform as the effort now moves to the Senate.”

For more information about Printing Industries of America’s Government Affairs Department and presence on Capitol Hill, please visit www.printing.org/govaffairs.