NATIONAL ANTI-COUNTERFEITING MONTH

 

The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF), representing the numismatic community, on July 14 joined 11 cross-industry associations in a joint letter to six congressional leaders urging support for passage of Senate Resolution 314, which designates July as "National Anti- Counterfeiting and Consumer Education and Awareness Month."

The letter also sought help in preserving funding for the Office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC) and advocating for an appointment by the Trump Administration of a coordinator before the end of 2025.

The congressional leaders include: Sen. Thom Tillis, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Intellectual Property; Sen. Adam Schiff, Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Intellectual Property; Sen. Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Trademark Caucus; Sen. Chris Coons, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and Co-Chair of the Trademark Caucus; Rep. Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet ; and Rep. Hank Johnson, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet.

The letter emphasized that "The IPEC office plays a vital role in ensuring a strategic vision at home and abroad as American IP-intensive companies face growing threats from global IP infringements, counterfeiting, and piracy – impacting domestic jobs, national security, and fueling illicit actors. Inter-agency coordination is a must. So too is the need to pull all stakeholders together to support the Administration and Congress. The IPEC is essential to developing this coordinated government support and has been a missing link since the last IPEC left the White House in 2021."

The cross-industry group noted its concern over the proposed reduction in funding for the IPEC office in the FY 2026 budget. "We request your help in restoring this funding at previous levels and advocating for the nomination, and swift confirmation of, an Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator by the end of the year."

The 12 signatories to the letter include: Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI); American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA); Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF); Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM); Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council (A2C2): Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA); The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP); The International Anticounterfeiting Coalition (IACC); The Partnership for Safe Medicines; Personal Care Products Council; Plumbing Manufacturers International, and the TIC Council.

July is officially "National Anti-Counterfeiting and Consumer Education and Awareness Month." Unanimous approval of the designation resolution was voted by the U.S. Senate July 18.

"We applaud the Senate's recognition and we encourage everyone in the numismatic community – collectors, dealers and coin clubs – to help in creating awareness of the harmful effects of counterfeits in our marketplace," said John Albanese, president of the Anti-Counterfeiting Education Foundation (ACEF). "By sharing knowledge about how to identify counterfeit coins and fake paper money, we as a concerned community can play a role in making our hobby and marketplace safer," Albanese said.

ACEF, a non-profit organization, has been leading the fight against coin counterfeiting since 2018. Information about counterfeits is available at ACEF's website, www.acefonline.org.

The authorizing resolution was introduced by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., co-chairs of the Congressional Trademark Caucus. Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, were co-sponsors of the resolution.

(ACEF), representing the numismatic community, joined 11 cross-industry associations in urging support for passage of the Senate resolution. The 11 include: Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI); American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA); Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM); Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council (A2C2): Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA); The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP); The International Anticounterfeiting Coalition (IACC); The Partnership for Safe Medicines; Personal Care Products Council; Plumbing Manufacturers International, and the TIC Council.

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