S. 2677 · Passed Senate · Foreign Trade and International Finance

A bill to expand the sharing of information with respect to suspected violations of intellectual property rights in trade.

Sponsor: Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

What it does

• Expand CBP authority to share information about suspected intellectual property violations with trademark and copyright owners and other interested parties.
• Lower the evidentiary threshold from 'suspects' to 'reasonable suspicion' for CBP to request assistance examining imported merchandise for IP violations.
• Authorize CBP to share images and information about packing materials and shipping containers, in addition to existing merchandise packaging and label information.
• Permit CBP to disclose nonpublic information from online marketplaces, freight forwarders, express consignment operators, and similar entities that facilitate merchandise sales or importation.

Official summary

This bill expands the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to provide information to certain persons (e.g., trademark or copyright owners) regarding suspected violations of intellectual property rights in trade. Under current law, if CBP suspects that merchandise is being imported in violation of certain trademark and copyright laws, it may request assistance from specified persons when determining whether the merchandise is imported in violation of these laws. To permit the party to conduct examination and testing, CBP must provide them with specified information that appears on the merchandise and its packaging and labels. This bill (1) expands the definition of person to allow CBP to request assistance from any other appropriate party with an interest in the imported merchandise, and (2) expands the scope of information that CBP is authorized to share with others to include information on and images of packing materials and shipping containers. The bill allows CBP to request this assistance if it has a reasonable suspicion (currently, suspects) that the merchandise being imported is in violation of certain trademark and copyright laws. Additionally, CBP may…

Latest action

Aug 10, 2026: Held at the desk.

Committee: Senate Finance