IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 16, 2005 - The U.S. Senate passed the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act (S. 1699) on November 10, 2005. The legislation would strengthen federal trademark law by requiring the mandatory destruction of counterfeit goods, and the forfeiture of any assets traceable to illegal counterfeiting activities and equipment used to manufacture and package counterfeit goods. In addition the bill prohibits trafficking in counterfeit labels, patches or medallions that are unattached to any goods. The House of Representatives passed similar legislation on May 23, 2005.

The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) is an active member of the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (CACP) that has advocated passage of S. 1699. The coalition is headed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and currently has over 80 members consisting of industry associations and companies.

If the bill becomes law as expected it will protect American consumers by strengthening criminal penalties for counterfeiters all over the world. Counterfeit goods look remarkably similar to the products produced by legitimate companies but are of inferior quality, made of inferior materials, and do not meet Federal safety standards.

Kathy Van Kleeck, MIC's Vice President of Government Relations notes that MIC looks forward to continuing to work with the CACP to ensure that this legislation is ultimately signed into law. "Counterfeit goods not only impact the legal and rightful trademark owners, but also harm the American public who purchase fake, low-quality, and potentially dangerous products. The Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act will provide one more legal weapon in the battle against counterfeiting," said Van Kleeck.

Congress will have to reconcile the minor differences between the House and Senate bills before the President will have an opportunity to sign the legislation into law. MIC is hopeful that Congress will have the bill to the President for his consideration before the end of this year.