The issue focused primarily on the way that a company can make money on its own technology without relying on outside funding. And while it did highlight some problems of patent laws in the US (which the bill would repeal), it was also a reminder that Congress is unlikely to pass a comprehensive bill that would address the many problems of patent laws in the future, as long as they remain on the books.

But even so, the bill's prospects for passage seem bright, with the bill's supporters saying they're optimistic