No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act of 2023

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1505, the No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act.

H.R. 1505 would build on existing law to ensure that executive agencies do not recognize, enforce, or otherwise validate the assertion of trademark rights used in connection with a business whose assets were confiscated by the Cuban regime unless the original owner expressly consented to the transfer of that mark. It also makes technical amendments to ensure that we are in compliance with certain international obligations.

This legislation largely involves a long-running dispute over the rightful ownership of a specific trademark that has played out over the course of many decades. It is a tale with more twists and turns than a John Grisham novel.

This bill is really about a much larger principle--that we stand with the Cuban people whose property was seized by the Castro regime, and we will not give the protection and benefits of the U.S. trademark system to the holders of stolen property. Our trademark system must not be allowed to be a vehicle for the perpetrators of stolen property to profit from their theft.

I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) for bringing this legislation forward.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. NADLER. Wasserman Schultz), the cosponsor of this legislation.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his longstanding support of this important legislation that really reflects the values that we stand for here in the United States of America.

I particularly thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) for the back and forth--depending on who is in the majority in our Chamber in each successive Congress--as we sort of trade responsibility for who leads this bill.

In addition, I have also previously co-led this legislation with our former colleague, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Mr. Diaz- Balart also joins us, as well. There is really broad bipartisan support for this bill, and I am so proud to lead this legislation on the Democratic side of the aisle.

This legislation would ensure that our government is never complicit in theft and expropriation ordered by autocracies.

By prohibiting U.S. recognition of illegally confiscated trademarks, this bill stands strongly against attempts by the Cuban regime to profit from hijacked intellectual property.

Representing a diaspora community as I do, I have heard countless constituents recount how their home countries stripped them of hard- earned wealth.

Many Cuban families had to start from scratch when they arrived. They had property and their businesses confiscated.

Our Nation has benefited immeasurably from their cultural contributions and entrepreneurial spirit.

We are not just a nation of immigrants. We are a nation of innovators. We should always reward creativity and punish piracy.

Our most fundamental responsibility is protecting Americans and those living in our country from being victimized by our adversaries.

Our failure to do so would only embolden global despots who seek to target their exiles.

I hope my colleagues join us in refusing to tolerate trademarks being held hostage, as this one is in particular, and the many others that are held hostage by the Cuban regime and other regimes, as well. I am hopeful that our friends on the other side of the Capitol, once we send this bill to them, will send it to the President of the United States for his signature.

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Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, this legislation makes a minor clarification to our trademark laws while serving notice to corrupt regimes across the world that America's intellectual property system must not be used to further their efforts to steal property from their own people.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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