WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) introduced legislation to detect and halt counterfeit and pirated imports. The bipartisan and bicameral bill would authorize Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to share suspected counterfeits’ packing and shipping information with key intellectual property (IP) rights holders, e-commerce platforms and transportation carriers. Grassley and Hassan are additionally filing the bill as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.
"Counterfeits threaten our nation's economy and can put consumers at serious risk. By boosting information sharing between Customs and Border Protection, rights holders and commerce professionals, our bipartisan bill would establish a straightforward and effective approach to cutting back on potentially dangerous counterfeit products," Grassley said.
“This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will strengthen law enforcement efforts to identify and interdict counterfeit imports, helping to ensure that law enforcement, e-commerce platforms and transportation carriers are working together to stop counterfeiters,” Hassan said. “I will continue to support law enforcement efforts to protect consumers and keep counterfeit products from crossing our borders.”
Reps. Blake Moore (R-Utah) and Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“As a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, I regularly speak to Utah companies who struggle to compete against IP theft and the proliferation of counterfeit material,” Moore said. “This bill will unlock real time intelligence sharing between CBP and the private sector that will help shut down routes exploited by counterfeit operations and cut off counterfeit flows before they reach American shores.”
“Counterfeit goods undercut American businesses, threaten jobs and endanger public safety. I’m proud to join my colleague on the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Blake Moore, and Sens. Chuck Grassley and Maggie Hassan in introducing this legislation that enhances CBP’s ability to disrupt counterfeit trafficking networks and better safeguards our economy and communities,” Schneider said.
During his confirmation hearing, CBP Commissioner Randy Scott voiced his support for legislation to enhance the agency’s information-sharing capabilities. Grassley’s bill is also supported by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, the American Apparel & Footwear Association, the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council, the Baby Safety Alliance, the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition, the International Trademark Association, the Partnership for Safe Medicines, the Pharmaceutical Security Institute and the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade.
“We are thankful for Chairman Grassley’s efforts to call for more information sharing for rights holders to quickly and effectively identify counterfeit and illicit products. Counterfeit goods do not just represent economic losses, lost sales and lost jobs through brand identity theft; the digital devalue chain of counterfeits exposes consumers and workers to a multitude of dangers that pose real product safety hazards for consumers, workers and the environment,” said Steve Lamar, President and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association.
“Stopping counterfeits at the border demands a coordinated and collaborative approach,” said Travis Johnson, Vice President of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. “This commonsense legislation enhances CBP’s ability to leverage private sector expertise and intelligence, and we applaud the sponsors for their efforts to protect consumers and legitimate businesses from the harms caused by those illicit imports.”
Read bill text HERE.
Background:
Grassley is a co-chair of the Congressional Trademark Caucus and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Grassley’s 2019 “Fight Against Fakes” report, released during his time as Finance Chairman, detailed bad actors’ efforts to exploit the marketplace at the expense of consumers’ pocketbooks and personal safety. Building on the report, Grassley first introduced legislation in 2021 to enhance information sharing between CBP and private sector partners.
-30-