Rep. Johnson delivers keynote at USPTO Forum

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Today, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, delivered the keynote address at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) forum on brand protection and anti-counterfeiting strategies.

The free, all-day conference brought together policymakers, practitioners, and business owners interested in learning about policies and strategies to more effectively combat counterfeit goods. More than two dozen experts in the fields of brand protection and anti-counterfeiting took in-depth look at such topics as: Fighting counterfeits in a global market; Utilizing new technologies to protect brands; Enlisting allies in the fight against counterfeiting; Consumer protection and counterfeits; and What government can do to help.

“This forum is incredibly timely,” said Rep. Johnson. “In Congress, we have heard continued and growing complaints from brand owners about the problem of counterfeiting as well as about the potential harms and dangers that counterfeits can pose.

“As chairman of the House Intellectual Property Subcommittee, my colleagues and I just this week held a roundtable on the issue of counterfeits being sold through online marketplaces so that we could begin to consider what role Congress needs to play in addressing this growing problem. What we heard only confirms the urgent need to consider creative and comprehensive approaches to address this issue.”

To read the entire speech, click HERE. To view the conference, click HERE.