[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15222]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL TRADEMARK EXPO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 11, 2011

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support of the 
United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) National Trademark 
Expo. In a time of ongoing challenges for the American and global 
economy, I want to join the USPTO in its efforts to recognize the vital 
role trademarks play in the economy.
  Trademarks are words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that identify 
and distinguish the goods and services of one party from those of 
others. American innovation and its associated intellectual property 
are very important to job creation and economic recovery. The USPTO 
facilitates the efficient approval of intellectual property rights to 
deliver goods and services to the global market. Through the 
registration of trademarks, the agency assists businesses in protecting 
their investments, promoting goods and services, and safeguarding 
consumers against confusion and deception in the marketplace.
  The USPTO disseminates trademark information at the Expo to educate 
the public about the important role trademarks play in our society and 
the global marketplace. The National Trademark Expos have been very 
successful events attended by the trademark community and the public at 
large. This year's 2-day event will be held on Friday, October 14th, 
from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday, October 15th, from 10:00 
a.m. to 4 p.m., at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
  During the Trademark Expo, Chubby Checker will twist with the 
audience and costumed trademarked characters to music played by Max 
Impact, the rock band of the United States Air Force. A new cast of 
characters featuring registered trademarks including Barbie, The Pink 
Panther, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Hamburger Helper, Rita's Ice Guy, 
and Fruit of the Loom ``fruit suits'' will join veteran Expo characters 
GEICO's Gecko, Crayola crayons' mascot ``Tip,'' Pillsbury's Doughboy, 
Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Popeye, Olive Oyl, the 5-Hour 
Energy Bottle, Spuddy Buddy, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and Hershey's 
Milk Chocolate Bar. Large inflatable characters, including a Pinocchio 
Giant Inflatable, a Bridgestone Tire, GEICO's Gecko, Collegiate mascots 
and NFL Football player inflatables of the Washington Redskins and 
Baltimore Ravens will once again transform the USPTO's campus into a 
``Trademark Theme Park''. A NASCAR show car for 5-Hour Energy, a UPS 
truck, and Caterpillar machines will also decorate the grounds. A story 
time featuring literary trademarked characters sponsored by Hooray for 
Books!, a local children's bookstore, will help tell the story of the 
prevalence of trademarks in our daily lives and their value as source 
indicators.
  Some of America's leading large corporations, small businesses, 
governmental agencies, and non-profit corporations will highlight the 
various types of trademarks, the breadth of trademarks used by one 
source, interesting stories about trademarks and their creation, and 
the benefits of federal trademark registration. The exhibitors include 
5-Hour Energy; 1000 Cranes, LLC; American Girl, LLC; American 
Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); Bigsby Division and the 
Gretsch Company; Bridgestone Americas, Inc.; Caterpillar Inc; City of 
Falls Church; CMG Worldwide, Inc.; Cotton Incorporated; Elevation 
Burger; GED Testing Service; GEICO; Idaho Potato Commission; 
International Trademark Association (INTA); Mattel, Inc.; Rita's 
Italian Ice; The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital; The 
Hershey Company; The Pepsom Group; Travelers; UPS; U.S. Air Force; U.S. 
Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration; U.S. 
Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 
National IPR Coordination Center; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 
Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Department of Interior, Indian Arts 
and Crafts Board (IACB); and U.S. Department of the Army.
  The Expo will also feature educational seminars, children's 
workshops, story time and guided tours. Educational seminars will 
include presentations on ``What Every Small Business Should Know About 
Intellectual Property,'' ``Counterfeiting & Piracy--Why Buy `Legit'?,'' 
``Common Mistakes to Avoid When Filing for Trademark Registration,'' 
``Know What You're Buying: American Indian Art and Imitations,'' and 
``Trademarks 101'' which covers basic facts about trademarks and 
trademark law. A video made to instruct pro se applicants will play in 
the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum throughout the Expo. Also, 
the Museum's current exhibit titled ``Exercising Ingenuity: Inventions 
in Health and Fitness'' highlights trademarks related to fitness and 
health.
  The National Trademark Expo will also display different types of 
trademarks including non-traditional trademarks such as sound marks, 
which are marks comprised of a sound or series of sounds, highlighted 
in an exciting interactive exhibit, and trademarks that identify shapes 
and configurations of products highlighted in an elaborate display of 
trademarked bottle shapes and a variety of other goods. Banners will 
feature century-old registered trademarks, the evolution and 
transformation of trademarks, the history of people behind certain 
trademarks, and other information about trademarks.
  I applaud the USPTO for its continued efforts to educate the public 
on the important role of trademarks and the benefits of federal 
registration through the National Trademark Expo. I urge my colleagues 
to join me in recognizing the USPTO, at this time when trademark 
protection and intellectual property rights play an increasingly 
important role in our global economy. And, I encourage the public and 
my fellow Members of Congress and staff to bring their family and 
friends to this family friendly and free event.

                          ____________________