AAFA Urges Support for H.R. 4930 to Help Fight Counterfeits

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) welcomes inclusion of a key anti-counterfeiting measure in tomorrow’s House Ways & Means Committee mark-up and moving the bill forward to passage. The legislation (H.R. 4930) to be considered would strengthen U.S Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) ability to share information with stakeholders during IP enforcement at the border, helping brands help CBP to curb counterfeits before they enter American homes.

H.R. 4930 clarifies CBP’s ability to share information with brands, not only from products and packaging, but also from packing materials connected to suspected counterfeit shipments. It also expands the definition of who qualifies as a “person” eligible to receive information from CBP, allowing the agency to address longstanding challenges to the enforcement of intellectual property rights by strengthening information shared with stakeholders in intellectual property enforcement. By widening both the scope of information and the pool of partners, the legislation aims to break down information silos, improve enforcement efficiency, and better support efforts to identify and stop counterfeit items.

“AAFA applauds the leadership of Congressman Moore and Congressman Schneider for introducing H.R. 4930, a crucial step toward enhancing CBP’s authority to share information needed to combat counterfeit products,” said AAFA's Senior Director, Brand Protection, Jennifer Hanks. "We urge bipartisan support as this bill is marked up tomorrow in the House Ways & Means Committee and moves through Congress - critical steps toward strengthening enforcement tools that protect American families from the serious risks of counterfeit products”

Support for H.R. 4930, a companion to S. 2677 introduced by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), reflects AAFA’s ongoing commitment to reducing the millions of counterfeit and pirated goods that enter the United States illegally and follows a recent joint industry support letter for the bill. For updates on AAFA’s work to strengthen IPR enforcement and increase awareness of the Digital Devalue Chain of Counterfeits and related risks posed to businesses, consumers, workers, and the environment, visit AAFA’s Brand Protection page.