H.R. 6196: TM Act of 2020
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H.R. 6196: TM Act of 2020
116th Congress · introduced 2020-03-11 · Commerce · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 530.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2020-03-11 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 530. 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.
Official title
TM Act of 2020
Plain summary
Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 or the TM Act of 2020 This bill makes several changes to trademark law, such as by providing new mechanisms for opposing and canceling trademark registrations at the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and by making it easier to secure an injunction. The bill authorizes a third party to submit evidence to the PTO to oppose an application for a federal trademark registration. The bill establishes a procedure for any party to petition the PTO to expunge a registration for a trademark that has not been used in commerce. The bill also establishes a procedure for any party to petition the PTO to reexamine any trademark registration on such nonuse grounds. The PTO may also initiate such an expungement or reexamination proceeding. If a plaintiff has prevailed in court in asserting certain trademark rights, that plaintiff shall be entitled to a presumption that the plaintiff will suffer irreparable harm for purposes of determining whether the plaintiff is entitled to a permanent injunction. If a trademark plaintiff is seeking a preliminary injunction, that plaintiff is entitled to this presumption upon a court finding that the plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits of the case. Under current law, a plaintiff must establish irreparable harm to secure an injunction. In addition, the PTO Director shall have the authority to reconsider, modify, or set aside certain decisions made by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on PTO efforts to address false and inaccurate claims in trademark registrations and applications.
Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to 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.
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Alternatives
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] · 9 cosponsors
Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 6196, TM Act of 2020 (2020-12-22)
Cosponsors on this site
Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Ben Cline (R-VA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ)
Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] reported raising $514,399 (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 (1)
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr6196.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>
Record fed-us-cong116-hr6196 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116