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AAFA backs new bill targeting counterfeit goods at US borders 

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has urged the US House of Representatives to pass a new anti-counterfeiting bill it says will enable brands to work with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to stop counterfeit goods entering American households.

Jangoulun Singsit May 07 2026

The proposed legislation, H.R. 4930, seeks to enhance CBP’s ability to share information with companies during intellectual property (IP) enforcement at borders.

If enacted, the bill would authorise CBP to share details not only about products and packaging, but also any packing materials linked to suspected counterfeit shipments, AAFA said.  

In addition, the bill would broaden the definition of “person” eligible to receive information from CBP.  

This is intended to address ongoing issues around IP rights enforcement by facilitating wider information sharing among relevant industry stakeholders. 

The bill’s provisions aim to improve efforts to identify and prevent counterfeit goods from entering the country.  

AAFA stated that the legislation seeks to improve enforcement by expanding the type of information shared and increasing the number of stakeholders involved, which it says will help authorities identify and block counterfeit goods more effectively. 

AAFA president and CEO Stephen Lamar commented: “Stopping these unsafe counterfeits at the border, preventing them from polluting third party marketplaces, and, ultimately, keeping them out of American homes should be a bipartisan, bicameral priority.

"We hope the Senate will take up this measure if it passes the House so it can quickly be presented to the President for his signature.” 

The legislative proposal is a counterpart to Senate bill S. 2677, introduced by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Senator Maggie Hassan.  

The AAFA’s advocacy for H.R. 4930 follows a recent industry letter expressing joint support for the measure. 

AAFA brand protection senior director Jennifer Hanks added: “The decision to advance H.R. 4930 marks an important milestone in the bipartisan effort to crack down on counterfeit goods and move this critical legislation closer to passage. We thank Congressman Moore and Congressman Schneider for their House leadership in crafting stronger enforcement tools and enhancing information sharing to better protect Americans from the real dangers posed by counterfeiters.” 

In conjunction with World IP Day on 26 April 2026, the AAFA led a communication involving nearly 20 consumer, retail, and manufacturing organisations to US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property John A. Squires.  

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