SRES-818-119
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4351; text: CR S4338-4339)
Sponsored by Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
What it does
This Senate resolution designates July 2026 as "National Anti-Counterfeiting and Consumer Education and Awareness Month." It expresses the Senate's support for public education campaigns about the dangers of counterfeit goods and reaffirms the Senate's commitment to combating counterfeiting. The resolution does not create new law, appropriate funds, or establish any enforcement mechanism.
Who benefits
Brand owners and trademark holders who gain symbolic congressional recognition of the harms counterfeiting causes their businesses. Consumer advocacy organizations whose anti-counterfeiting education missions receive a public platform. Federal enforcement agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the DEA, whose anti-counterfeiting work is highlighted. Domestic manufacturers and retailers who compete against counterfeit goods. Organizations like the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and the Congressional Trademark Caucus, which are named in the resolution.
Who is hurt
No group faces a direct legal or financial burden from this resolution, as it is purely symbolic and creates no enforceable obligations. Counterfeiters and those who profit from the sale of fake goods may face marginally increased public awareness of their activities, though the resolution carries no enforcement weight.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that public awareness is one of the most cost-effective tools against counterfeiting, and that the scale of the problem justifies congressional attention — U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over 78 million counterfeit goods worth an estimated $7.4 billion in fiscal year 2025, and the DEA seized 47 million fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills in 2025 alone. They contend that designating a formal awareness month amplifies the work of federal agencies, state enforcers, and private organizations already engaged in consumer education, at no cost to taxpayers.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that a symbolic resolution does nothing to address the structural conditions enabling counterfeiting — such as enforcement gaps on online platforms, resource constraints at border agencies, or trade policy with high-volume source countries like China and Hong Kong, which accounted for over 87% of dangerous counterfeit seizures in fiscal year 2025. They contend that congressional action without accompanying legislation, funding, or binding directives amounts to a public relations gesture that may give the appearance of action while leaving the underlying problem unaddressed.
Constitutional context
No significant constitutional issues are raised by this resolution. Senate resolutions expressing the sense of the chamber or designating awareness periods are a well-established congressional practice that does not implicate enumerated powers, agency authority, or individual rights under the Commerce Clause or any other constitutional provision.
Checks and balances
The Senate exercises its expressive function through this resolution; no branch gains or loses authority, and no executive agency receives new powers or mandates.
Historical precedent
The Senate has previously passed similar commemorative resolutions designating awareness months for intellectual property issues, including resolutions recognizing World Intellectual Property Day and prior anti-counterfeiting awareness efforts.