(Senate)
(Sen. Hatch, R-UT, and 64 cosponsors)

The Administration strongly supports Senate passage of S. 1890, the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, and appreciates the bipartisan effort that led to the formulation of this bill. Effective protection of trade secrets promotes innovation that is the engine of the Nation's economy and minimizes threats to American businesses, the U.S. economy, and national security interests. S. 1890 would establish a Federal civil private cause of action for trade secret theft that would provide businesses with a more uniform, reliable, and predictable way to protect their valuable trade secrets anywhere in the country.

The Administration has placed high priority on mitigating and combating the theft of trade secrets, as exemplified in the Administration's Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement, the Administration's Strategy on Mitigating the Theft of U.S. Trade Secrets, and Executive Order 13694 authorizing sanctions on those who perpetrate cyber-enabled trade secret theft. S. 1890 would provide important protection to the Nation's businesses and industries, including through the establishment of a Federal civil cause of action for trade secret misappropriation which would effectively build upon current Federal law and various State laws that have largely adopted the Uniform Trade Secrets Act. As such, the Administration strongly supports the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 and looks forward to working with the Congress on this important piece of legislation as it moves through the legislative process.