,,iii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #cad ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #h1 #bjbe,mr4 ,grassley 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 and ,ms4 ,hirono7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,,resolution ,recognizing the importance of trademarks in the economy and the role of trademarks in protecting consumer safety1 by designating the month of ,july as ,national ,anti-,counterfeiting and ,consumer ,education and ,awareness ,month4 ,whereas public awareness is crucial to safeguard consumers and businesses from unsafe and unreliable products that1 through illicit activity1 threaten intellectual property rights1 the economic market1 and even the health and well-being of consumers2 ,whereas ,federal statutes such as the ,act entitled ,an ,act to provide for the registration and protection of trademarks used in commerce1 to carry out the provisions of certain international conventions1 and for other purposes1 approved ,july #e1 #aidf 7commonly referred to as the ,trademark ,act of #aidf or the ,lanham ,act7 7#fj ,stat4 #dbg1 chapter #edj2 #ae ,u4,s4,c4 #ajea et seq47 7referred to in this preamble as the ,lanham ,act71 and the ,trademark ,counterfeiting ,act of #aihd 7,public ,law #ih-dgc2 #ih ,stat4 #bagh7 regulate the unlawful act of producing and selling counterfeit products2 ,whereas the ,lanham ,act provided the foundation for modern ,federal trademark protection1 creating legal rights and remedies for brand owners suffering from trademark infringement1 helping consumers make informed choices by reducing the amount of confusingly similar products1 and making the marketplace more fair1 competitive1 and safe for all2 ,whereas ,october #ab1 #bjbe1 marks the #dast anniversary of the enactment of the ,trademark ,counterfeiting ,act of #aihd 7,public ,law #ih-dgc2 #ih ,stat4 #bagh72 ,whereas1 according to the ,world ,intellectual ,property ,organization1 there were an estimated #hh1bjj1jjj active trademark registrations around the world in #bjbc1 a #f4d percent increase from the previous year2 ,whereas counterfeit products undermine laws1 including the ,lanham ,act1 that ensure the safety of consumers1 businesses1 and brand owners against illegitimate products in the marketplace1 from which criminal groups and bad actors are benefitting at the expense of the public and private sector2 ,whereas counterfeiters use different online platforms to attract consumers to buy illegitimate goods1 usually enticing consumers through cheaper prices2 ,whereas the growth of both global commerce and electronic commerce has expedited the evolving problem of counterfeit goods1 because that growth in commerce has given third-party actors an enhanced opportunity to reach consumers that they may have not previously been able to reach2 ,whereas the deceptive tactics of counterfeiters and their counterfeit products pose actual and potential harm to the health and safety of the people of the ,united ,states1 especially the most vulnerable consumers in society1 such as senior citizens and children2 ,whereas1 according to the #bjbe report by the ,united ,states ,trade ,representative required under section #ahb7;h7 of the ,trade ,act of #aigd 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #bbdb7;h77 7commonly referred to as the ,special #cja ,report71 counterfeit items often do not comply with regulated safety standards1 and as a result1 vast amounts of unsafe products are constantly circulating the market and endangering the public2 ,whereas goods originating in ,china and ,hong ,kong accounted for more than #ij percent of all customs seizures of dangerous counterfeit goods in fiscal year #bjbd1 including electronics1 pharmaceuticals1 cosmetics1 and other goods2 ,whereas counterfeit medical products pose a particular threat to the safety and health of consumers in the ,united ,states because those counterfeit goods do not adhere to the same quality standards as authentic articles2 ,whereas1 in ,september #bjba1 the ,drug ,enforcement ,administration issued its first ,public ,safety ,alert in #f years to warn the public about the alarming increase in the availability and lethality of fake prescription pills in the ,united ,states1 pills that often contain deadly doses of fentanyl1 and in #bjbd1 the ,drug ,enforcement ,administration seized a staggering #fj1jjj1jjj fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills2 ,whereas counterfeit products threaten the ,united ,states economy and job creation1 and according to ,library of ,congress and the ,united ,states ,patent and ,trademark ,office1 as of #bjbj1 counterfeiting and piracy have cost businesses in the ,united ,states more than #bjj1jjj1jjj1jjj per year1 have led to the loss of more than #gej1jjj jobs1 and have induced an additional loss of approximately #bi1jjj1jjj1jjj per year to the economy of the ,united ,states through displacing the legitimate sale of authentic goods2 ,whereas1 according to the ,national ,association of ,manufacturers1 in #bjai1 counterfeiting caused an estimated #bb1cjj1jjj1jjj loss in labor income1 a #e1fjj1jjj1jjj loss in ,federal tax revenues1 and a #d1jjj1jjj1jjj loss in ,state and local tax revenues2 ,whereas1 in #bjbd1 ,u4,s4 ,customs and ,border ,protection seized more than #cb1cjj1jjj counterfeit goods1 with an estimated manufacturer's suggested retail price of more than #e1djj1jjj1jjj if the goods were genuine1 which equates to about #ad1gid1ebj in counterfeit goods seizures every day2 ,whereas the ,organisation for ,economic ,co-operation and ,development found that the global trade of counterfeit products was appraised at #dfg1jjj1jjj1jjj in #bjba2 ,whereas businesses of all sizes collectively spend millions of dollars to protect and enforce their own brand and products by removing counterfeit products from both online and physical marketplaces2 ,whereas businesses must devote resources to combating counterfeit products instead of using those resources to grow their business by hiring new employees and developing new products2 ,whereas one of the most effective ways to protect consumers from the dangers of counterfeit products is through educational campaigns and awareness programs2 and ,whereas organizations such as the ,congressional ,trademark ,caucus1 ,federal enforcement agencies1 the ,national ,intellectual ,property ,rights ,coordination ,center1 and ,state enforcement agencies are actively working to raise awareness of the value of trademarks and the impact and harms caused by counterfeit products on both the national and ,state economies3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 designates the month of ,july #bjbe as ,national ,anti-,counterfeiting and ,consumer ,education and ,awareness ,month2 7#b7 supports the goals and ideals of ,national ,anti-,counterfeiting and ,consumer ,education and ,awareness ,month to educate the public and raise public awareness about the actual and potential dangers counterfeit products pose to consumer health and safety2 7#c7 affirms the continuing importance and need for comprehensive ,federal1 ,state1 and private sector-supported education and awareness efforts designed to equip the consumers of the ,united ,states with the information and tools needed to safeguard against illegal counterfeit products in traditional commerce1 internet commerce1 and other electronic commerce platforms2 and 7#d7 recognizes and reaffirms the commitment of the ,united ,states to combating counterfeiting by promoting awareness about the actual and potential harm of counterfeiting to consumers and brand owners and by promoting new education programs and campaigns designed to reduce the supply of1 and demand for1 counterfeit products4