On Monday, July 13th NAR launched a Call for Action to all REALTORS® asking them to contact their Members of Congress and urge support for H.R. 9 – The Innovation Act. Today, I am asking for your help to promote this Call for Action among your membership.
Why should you and REALTORS® care about Patent Reform? You may think a “Patent Troll” can’t disrupt your business but individual REALTORS®, Brokers and Multiple Listing Services have all been targeted with vague and deceptive letters alleging patent infringement to demand unjustified payments for using basic technology like dropdown menus, website search functions, and even office scanners.
Currently a loophole in our legal system allows “patent trolls” to disrupt businesses, big and small, local and national, by demanding fees for the use of common business technologies. The Innovation Act – H.R. 9 – would close these loopholes.
While the opposition to H.R. 9 has been very vocal and is trying to delay the vote, our efforts to encourage a vote have been noticed on Capitol Hill and the House Leadership has signaled that a vote could take place next week. Now is the time to get every REALTOR® to answer the Call for Action and help convince the House of Representatives to pass this legislation of vital importance to the real estate industry.
Please use every tool at your disposal to contact your members and ask them to take action. Congress listens when REALTORS® speak with a strong and unified voice.
Chris Polychron
2015 NAR President
