Title: A resolution recognizing and supporting public awareness of the importance of trademarks and the goals and ideals of the National Trademark Exposition of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) there should be greater public awareness of the importance of trademarks for the society and economy of the United States, (2) the 2018 National Trademark Exposition of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) provides an opportunity to educate Americans about trademarks, and (3) the USPTO and the Smithsonian Institution should be recognized for orchestrating the exposition.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 580 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 580

   Recognizing and supporting public awareness of the importance of 
     trademarks and the goals and ideals of the National Trademark 
      Exposition of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 18, 2018

   Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. Coons) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing and supporting public awareness of the importance of 
     trademarks and the goals and ideals of the National Trademark 
      Exposition of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Whereas intellectual property is instrumental to the economy of the United 
        States by fueling innovation and creating jobs;
Whereas Congress and the Congressional Trademark Caucus understand the 
        importance of trademarks and wish to support the United States Patent 
        and Trademark Office in operating to drive economic growth and enhance 
        the competitiveness of the United States;
Whereas the first National Trademark Exposition took place more than 30 years 
        ago in Washington, DC;
Whereas, in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, counterfeit goods 
        pose an escalating threat to businesses and jobs in the United States;
Whereas counterfeit goods cost the United States billions of dollars and 
        countless jobs annually;
Whereas it is important for Congress and consumers to understand the impact of 
        counterfeit goods on the economy of, and the health and safety of 
        consumers in, the United States;
Whereas low quality counterfeit goods can--

    (1) be dangerous to consumers and harmful to entrepreneurs; and

    (2) erode consumer confidence in brands;

Whereas trademark registration and Federal trademark law assist the public in--

    (1) discerning between authentic and counterfeit merchandise; and

    (2) stopping the flow of counterfeit goods;

Whereas consumers in the United States encounter an average of 1,500 trademarks 
        each day;
Whereas it is important for the United States to strive to have the best 
        intellectual property system possible that is understood by the public 
        of the United States;
Whereas the Congressional Trademark Caucus focuses on supporting initiatives 
        that increase awareness of, and foster a productive public dialogue 
        about, the importance of trademarks and the risks associated with 
        counterfeit goods;
Whereas the National Trademark Exposition supports the work of the Congressional 
        Trademark Caucus by facilitating the education of thousands of 
        consumers; and
Whereas educating the public about the value of brand names and trademarks in an 
        increasingly competitive global marketplace serves the public interest 
        of helping to safeguard consumers against deception and confusion in the 
        marketplace: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) it is the sense of the Senate that--
                    (A) there should be greater public awareness of the 
                importance of trademarks for the society and economy of 
                the United States;
                    (B) the 2018 National Trademark Exposition of the 
                United States Patent and Trademark Office provides a 
                unique opportunity to--
                            (i) educate the people of the United States 
                        about trademarks; and
                            (ii) encourage--
                                    (I) a greater understanding of the 
                                role that trademarks play in the 
                                economy of the United States; and
                                    (II) corporations, small 
                                businesses, governmental agencies, and 
                                nonprofit organizations to share 
                                information with the public about 
                                trademarks; and
                    (C) the United States Patent and Trademark Office 
                and the Smithsonian Institution should be recognized 
                for orchestrating a free, family-friendly event that 
                educates tens of thousands of people about the 
                importance of trademarks; and
            (2) the Senate supports efforts to increase public 
        awareness of the importance of trademarks, including the goals 
        and ideals of the 2018 National Trademark Exposition of the 
        United States Patent and Trademark Office held on July 27 and 
        28, 2018.
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