Sen. Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Trademark Caucus, spoke on March 24 at a congressional briefing focused on the issue of counterfeit sports apparel and merchandise. The event was organized by the International Trademark Association, the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center.
The topic is relevant as many Americans are currently following major sporting events such as March Madness. Grassley said that counterfeit goods pose risks to consumers and undermine trust in legitimate marketplaces.
“The business of selling counterfeit consumer goods is growing, costly and dangerous,” Grassley said during his remarks. He noted that criminals increasingly target sports fans with fake memorabilia and tickets, especially through online platforms. “These bad actors are increasingly abusing the e-commerce marketplace to pass off counterfeits and stolen goods as the real thing,” he said.
Grassley highlighted safety concerns associated with counterfeit products: “Fake sports equipment doesn’t have the same safety precautions guaranteed by legitimate sellers.” He added that items like helmets could lead to severe injury because counterfeiters do not follow safety regulations.
He discussed legislative efforts aimed at addressing these issues, including a bipartisan bill introduced last August with Senator Hassan to help fight counterfeits by allowing Customs and Border Protection to share information about suspected illegal shipments with intellectual property rights holders. Grassley also mentioned his support for the INFORM Consumers Act, which took effect in 2023 requiring online marketplaces to verify third-party sellers’ information—a law enforced recently when Temu’s parent company agreed to change its practices after an action by federal regulators.
Looking forward, Grassley said he wants feedback on whether current laws can be improved: “I want to make sure the INFORM Act is doing what we intended… if the law could be improved, I’m asking you to let me know your views.” He also expressed interest in advancing new legislation for safer online shopping environments.
According to the official website, Grassley has been married since 1954 and has five children; he earned degrees in political science from the University of Northern Iowa; assists Iowans with federal agencies; previously worked as a sheet metal shearer and assembly line worker; served in Iowa’s state legislature from 1958 until 1974; is one of only two farmers currently serving in the Senate who raises corn and soybeans in Butler County; serves on key Senate committees; emphasizes bipartisan collaboration; is Iowa’s longest-serving U.S. senator; and remains active in agriculture.
Grassley’s concluding remarks called for greater awareness among consumers about buying authentic products: “Today, we have an opportunity to increase consumer awareness… We all must understand the scale of the problem and be cautious when we shop online.”
