As reported on Fish & Richardson P.C.'s website:

2008 Patent Reform Update

Senate Leadership Reaffirms Commitment to Passing Patent Reform Legislation. Amid media commentary that patent reform legislation is dead, Senate leadership on December 18, 2007 reaffirmed their commitment to passing patent reform legislation in 2008. See the statements entered into the Congressional Record (Cong. Rec. 12/18/07, p. S15898) by Senators Leahy and Hatch here. "Our leadership has committed to taking up S.1145 as early in the new year as possible, and we commend that commitment. I fully recognize that when the bill was reported by the Judiciary Committee, a number of members expressed a strong view that the bill should be further perfected before it comes to a vote on the floor of the Senate. I made a commitment to the members of the Judiciary Committee at the markup that I would work closely with each of them, and other Members of the Senate, to make further improvements to the bill. I reaffirm that commitment."

Both Senators highlighted four areas of the legislation - damages, post-grant review, inequitable conduct, and venue - as areas on which they are continuing to refine in order to garner greater support for S. 1145. This comes, they said, after hundreds of meetings with interested stakeholders since the Senate bill was reported out of the Judiciary Committee in July. Sen. Hatch offered that he "firmly believe[s] that compromise on each of these provisions is achievable." As for timing, Sen. Leahy indicated that "[t]his will continue to be an open and deliberative process, with the goal of favorable Senate action as early as the floor schedule permits."