After the House passed the Innovation Act, the Senate was expected to act in the first two months of the year. Then in February, the Senate slowed down and their were rumors that a full bill would not make it to a vote before Congress went home to campaign for mid-term elections. But late last week, Stephen Schatz, a Senior Director at the National Retail Federation, reported that NRF was hearing that the Senate was planning a series of votes on patent reform-related bills in March. While it may not be everything retailers need from a full patent reform bill, even partial movement on patent reform should be a significant benefit.