S. 2267: Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2014

113th Congress · introduced 2014-04-29 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2014-04-29 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] · 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. 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

Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2014

Plain summary

Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2014 - Amends the federal criminal code to authorize an owner of a trade secret who is aggrieved by an act of economic espionage, theft of a trade secret, or misappropriation of a trade secret that is related to a product or service used in, or intended for use 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). Authorizes the court, based on an affidavit or verified complaint satisfying the requirements of this Act, upon ex parte application and if the court finds that issuing the order is necessary to prevent irreparable harm, to issue appropriate orders: (1) providing for the preservation of evidence in the civil action, including by making a copy of an electronic storage medium that contains the trade secret; (2) granting an injunction to prevent any actual or threatened violation, (3) requiring affirmative actions to be taken to protect a trade secret; or (4) providing for the seizure of any property used to commit or facilitate the commission of an alleged violation, except that such an order may not provide for the seizure of any property that is merely incidental to the alleged violation unless necessary to preserve evidence or shall provide for the seizure of any property in a manner that does not interrupt normal and legitimate business operations unrelated to the trade secret. Makes applicable to such ex parte applications and seizure orders specified requirements of the Trademark Act of 1946 regarding ex parte applications and seizure orders in civil actions arising out of the use of counterfeit marks in connection with the sale, offering for sale, or distribution of goods or services. Authorizes a court in a civil action brought under this Act to: (1) grant an injunction to prevent any violation, to require affirmative actions to be taken to protect a trade secret, and to condition future use upon payment of a reasonable royalty for no longer than the period use could have been prohibited; (2) award damages for actual loss, damages for unjust enrichment, and (in lieu of damages measured by any other methods) damages caused by misappropriation measured by imposition of liability for a reasonable royalty for the unauthorized disclosure or use of a trade secret; (3) award exemplary treble damages if the trade secret is willfully or maliciously misappropriated; and (4) award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party if a claim of misappropriation is made in bad faith, a motion to terminate an injunction is made or opposed in bad faith, or a trade secret is willfully and maliciously misappropriated. Establishes a five-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.

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

Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2014

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] reported raising $5.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
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-113s2267.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/s>

Record fed-us-cong113-s2267 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113