A bill to amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to enhance the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share information with respect to merchandise suspected of violating intellectual property rights with rights holders and other interested parties.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

S.1159 through Congress

S.1159 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

SenateApr 15, 2021IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No House action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related House measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the House stage of S.1159.

Related House bill: H.R.7096 To amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to enhance the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share information with respect to merchandise suspected of violating intellectual property rights with rights holders and other interested parties.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 15, 2021

This bill authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to request assistance from any appropriate party with an interest in imported merchandise when determining whether the merchandise is imported in violation of certain trademark and copyright laws. To permit the party to conduct examination and testing, CBP must provide them with specified information that appears on the merchandise, including its packaging and packing materials (including labels).

Read the summary on Congress.gov

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · R–IA

Committees

Finance Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Apr 15, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Apr 15, 2021
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Apr 15, 2021 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 7096 · To amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to enhance the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share information with respect to merchandise suspected of violating intellectual property rights with rights holders and other interested parties.

Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.1159 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1159, 117th Congress: A bill to amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to enhance the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share information with respect to merchandise suspected of violating intellectual property rights with rights holders and other interested parties.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1159

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-04-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s1159/BILLS-117s1159is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T11:01:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.1159 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.1159 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1159, 117th Congress: A bill to amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to enhance the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share information with respect to merchandise suspected of violating intellectual property rights with rights holders and other interested parties.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1159

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-04-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s1159/BILLS-117s1159is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T11:01:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1159 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.1159 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1159, 117th Congress: A bill to amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to enhance the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share information with respect to merchandise suspected of violating intellectual property rights with rights holders and other interested parties.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1159

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-04-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s1159/BILLS-117s1159is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T11:01:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1159 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.1159 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1159, 117th Congress: A bill to amend the Tariff Act of 1930 to enhance the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share information with respect to merchandise suspected of violating intellectual property rights with rights holders and other interested parties.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1159

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2021-04-15.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s1159/BILLS-117s1159is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-12-05T11:01:55Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1159 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.