H.R. 4225: To modify the prohibition on recognition by United States courts of certain rights relating to certain marks, trade names, or commercial names.

108th Congress · introduced 2004-04-28 · Law · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2004-04-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To modify the prohibition on recognition by United States courts of certain rights relating to certain marks, trade names, or commercial names.

Plain summary

Amends the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 to prohibit a U.S. court from recognizing, enforcing, or otherwise validating the assertion of rights, including treaty rights, by an individual (currently, by a designated Cuban national) of a mark, trade name, or commercial name that was used in connection with a business or assets that were confiscated unless the original owner of such mark or name, or their bona fide successor, has expressly consented thereto. Makes such prohibition applicable only if the individual asserting the rights knew or had reason to know at the time of of acquiring the rights asserted that the mark or name was the same or substantially similar to the mark or name used in connection with the business or assets that were confiscated.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To modify the prohibition on recognition by United States courts of certain rights relating to certain marks, trade names, or commercial names.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · 39 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John R. Carter (R-TX), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108hr4225.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/hr>

Record fed-us-cong108-hr4225 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108