# Federal Agency that Makes money: PTO **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 9, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agency-that-makes-money-pto/499171 "2009-06-09T01:09:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pencil\_Pusher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Pencil\_Pusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pencil_Pusher)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agency-that-makes-money-pto/499171/1 "2009-06-09T01:09:10Z")
The Patent and Trademark Office is completely fee-based and for years and years was subject to “fee diversion” to the general fund. I think the number was typically 10% of the $1-2 B budget was “profit.” For the past 5-6 years the white house’s annual budget have stopped the practice of fee diversion, but it is completely at the whim of the president. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agency-that-makes-money-pto/499171/2 "2009-06-09T01:37:46Z")
When referring to one of Cecil’s columns one should try to provide a link, [like so.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2871/is-nasa-the-only-federal-agency-that-makes-a-profit) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agency-that-makes-money-pto/499171/3 "2009-06-10T18:59:18Z")
You could also say that they ‘stimulate’ the economy, since they give patents to all kinds of things that aren’t in any way original or inventive, leading to a whole lot of lawsuits & employment for lawyers.