S. 3389: Protecting American Trade Secrets and Innovation Act of 2012

112th Congress · introduced 2012-07-17 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5086-5087)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2012-07-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5086-5087) 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

Protecting American Trade Secrets and Innovation Act of 2012

Plain summary

Protecting American Trade Secrets and Innovation Act of 2012 - Amends the federal criminal code to authorize a person who is aggrieved by an act of economic espionage, theft of a trade secret, or misappropriation of a trade secret that is related to or included in a product that is produced for or placed in interstate or foreign commerce to bring a civil action under this Act (current law authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action to obtain injunctive relief against any violation of provisions regarding the protection of trade secrets). Requires a complaint filed in such an action to: (1) describe with specificity the reasonable measures taken to protect the secrecy of the alleged trade secrets in dispute, and (2) include a sworn representation by the party asserting the claim that the dispute involves either substantial need for nationwide service of process or misappropriation of trade secrets from the United States to another country. Authorizes the court, in a civil action, upon ex parte application and if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that issuing the order is necessary to prevent irreparable harm, to issue an order providing for: (1) the seizure of any property (including computers) used or intended to be used to commit or facilitate the commission of the alleged violation, and (2) the preservation of evidence. Sets forth provisions regarding the scope of such an order, rights of a party injured by a seizure under such an order, and remedies with respect to civil actions brought under this Act. Establishes a three-year limitations period, beginning when the misappropriation is discovered or should have been discovered.

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

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting American Trade Secrets and Innovation Act of 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

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)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s3389.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s3389 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112