RELEASE: Senate Unanimously Passes Hassan-Grassley Bill to Combat Counterfeit Imports

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are applauding the Senate's unanimous passage of their legislation to better detect and intercept counterfeit imports. The bipartisan bill would authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to share suspected counterfeit goods' packing and shipping information with key intellectual property (IP) rights holders, e-commerce platforms, and transportation carriers.

"Counterfeit products brought over our borders hurt American small businesses and can put people's safety at risk," Senator Hassan said. "This bipartisan bill will give law enforcement and businesses better tools to work together and intercept counterfeit products before they reach our communities. I'm glad to see it pass the Senate, and I urge my colleagues in the House to take up and pass this bill."

"Counterfeit goods harm American businesses, threaten our nation's economy and put consumers at serious risk. By increasing communication between Customs and Border Protection, IP rights holders and commerce professionals, this bipartisan bill will effectively crack down on dangerous counterfeit products and prevent them from reaching our shores," Senator Grassley said. "I'm pleased the Senate has passed this important bill and look forward to its advancement in the U.S. House of Representatives."

The Hassan-Grassley bill is 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.

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection is our first line of defense against counterfeit goods, but they can't do that job alone. This legislation ensures their ability to work collaboratively with responsible stakeholders throughout the supply chain to protect American consumers, manufacturers, and retailers," said Bob Barchiesi, President of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. "We applaud Senator Grassley and Senator Hassan for their leadership on this issue and look forward to working with our colleagues at CBP to put these new tools into action."

Click here to view the text of the bill.

This legislation is part of Senator Hassan's ongoing efforts to strengthen border security and protect American businesses and consumers. Senator Hassan's bipartisan legislation requiring the Department of Homeland Security update its Northern Border Strategy unanimously passed the Senate last week. Senator Hassan has also introduced bipartisan legislation to allow U.S. and Canadian law enforcement personnel to jointly patrol both sides of the Northern border by aircraft, helping them more effectively combat drug smuggling and other illegal cross-border activities. Earlier this year, Senator Hassan met with federal law enforcement officials working at the Southern border to discuss efforts to counter drug trafficking, terrorism, and other national security threats.

###

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Tweet