Which government office is responsible for issuing patents?

The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is the government agency specifically tasked with issuing patents in the United States. This office operates under the Department of Commerce and is responsible for examining patent applications to ensure they meet the criteria of novelty, non-obviousness, and usefulness. Furthermore, the PTO administers the laws related to patents and trademarks, providing protection for inventors and businesses to safeguard their intellectual property.

In contrast, while the Department of Commerce encompasses the PTO, it is not directly responsible for the patent issuance process itself. The U.S. Copyright Office focuses on copyright law and the protection of original works of authorship, which is different from patent law. The State Department primarily deals with international relations and foreign affairs, rather than intellectual property matters. Thus, the correct answer highlights the specific role of the Patent and Trademark Office in the patent system.