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S.1948
Intellectual Property and Communications Omnibus Reform Act of 1999 
(Introduced in Senate)
TITLE III--TRADEMARK CYBERPIRACY PREVENTION
SEC. 3001. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES.
(a) SHORT TITLE- This title may be cited as the `Anticybersquatting 
  Consumer Protection Act'.
(b) REFERENCES TO THE TRADEMARK ACT OF 1946- Any reference in this title 
  to the Trademark Act of 1946 shall be a reference to the Act entitled `An Act 
  to provide for the registration and protection of trademarks used in commerce, 
  to carry out the provisions of certain international conventions, and for 
  other purposes', approved July 5, 1946 (15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.).
SEC. 3002. CYBERPIRACY PREVENTION.
(a) IN GENERAL- Section 43 of the Trademark Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 1125) 
  is amended by inserting at the end the following:
`(d)(1)(A) A person shall be liable in a civil action by the owner of a 
  mark, including a personal name which is protected as a mark under this 
  section, if, without regard to the goods or services of the parties, that 
  person--
  `(i) has a bad faith intent to profit from that mark, including a 
    personal name which is protected as a mark under this section; and
  `(ii) registers, traffics in, or uses a domain name that--
  
    `(I) in the case of a mark that is distinctive at the time of 
      registration of the domain name, is identical or confusingly similar to 
      that mark;
  
    `(II) in the case of a famous mark that is famous at the time of 
      registration of the domain name, is identical or confusingly similar to or 
      dilutive of that mark; or
  
    `(III) is a trademark, word, or name protected by reason of section 
      706 of title 18, United States Code, or section 220506 of title 36, United 
      States Code.
`(B)(i) In determining whether a person has a bad faith intent described 
  under subparagraph (A), a court may consider factors such as, but not limited 
  to--
  `(I) the trademark or other intellectual property rights of the person, 
    if any, in the domain name;
  `(II) the extent to which the domain name consists of the legal name of 
    the person or a name that is otherwise commonly used to identify that 
  person;
  `(III) the person's prior use, if any, of the domain name in connection 
    with the bona fide offering of any goods or services;
  `(IV) the person's bona fide noncommercial or fair use of the mark in a 
    site accessible under the domain name;
  `(V) the person's intent to divert consumers from the mark owner's 
    online location to a site accessible under the domain name that could harm 
    the goodwill represented by the mark, either for commercial gain or with the 
    intent to tarnish or disparage the mark, by creating a likelihood of 
    confusion as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of the 
    site;
  `(VI) the person's offer to transfer, sell, or otherwise assign the 
    domain name to the mark owner or any third party for financial gain without 
    having used, or having an intent to use, the domain name in the bona fide 
    offering of any goods or services, or the person's prior conduct indicating 
    a pattern of such conduct;
  `(VII) the person's provision of material and misleading false contact 
    information when applying for the registration of the domain name, the 
    person's intentional failure to maintain accurate contact information, or 
    the person's prior conduct indicating a pattern of such conduct;
  `(VIII) the person's registration or acquisition of multiple domain 
    names which the person knows are identical or confusingly similar to marks 
    of others that are distinctive at the time of registration of such domain 
    names, or dilutive of famous marks of others that are famous at the time of 
    registration of such domain names, without regard to the goods or services 
    of the parties; and
  `(IX) the extent to which the mark incorporated in the person's domain 
    name registration is or is not distinctive and famous within the meaning of 
    subsection (c)(1) of section 43.
`(ii) Bad faith intent described under subparagraph (A) shall not be found 
  in any case in which the court determines that the person believed and had 
  reasonable grounds to believe that the use of the domain name was a fair use 
  or otherwise lawful.
`(C) In any civil action involving the registration, trafficking, or use 
  of a domain name under this paragraph, a court may order the forfeiture or 
  cancellation of the domain name or the transfer of the domain name to the 
  owner of the mark.
`(D) A person shall be liable for using a domain name under subparagraph 
  (A) only if that person is the domain name registrant or that registrant's 
  authorized licensee.
`(E) As used in this paragraph, the term `traffics in' refers to 
  transactions that include, but are not limited to, sales, purchases, loans, 
  pledges, licenses, exchanges of currency, and any other transfer for 
  consideration or receipt in exchange for consideration.
`(2)(A) The owner of a mark may file an in rem civil action against a 
  domain name in the judicial district in which the domain name registrar, 
  domain name registry, or other domain name authority that registered or 
  assigned the domain name is located if--
  `(i) the domain name violates any right of the owner of a mark 
    registered in the Patent and Trademark Office, or protected under subsection 
    (a) or (c); and
  `(ii) the court finds that the owner--
  
    `(I) is not able to obtain in personam jurisdiction over a person who 
      would have been a defendant in a civil action under paragraph (1); 
or
  
    `(II) through due diligence was not able to find a person who would 
      have been a defendant in a civil action under paragraph (1) by--
  
    
      `(aa) sending a notice of the alleged violation and intent to 
        proceed under this paragraph to the registrant of the domain name at the 
        postal and e-mail address provided by the registrant to the registrar; 
        and
  
    
      `(bb) publishing notice of the action as the court may direct 
        promptly after filing the action.
`(B) The actions under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall constitute service of 
  process.
`(C) In an in rem action under this paragraph, a domain name shall be 
  deemed to have its situs in the judicial district in which--
  `(i) the domain name registrar, registry, or other domain name authority 
    that registered or assigned the domain name is located; or
  `(ii) documents sufficient to establish control and authority regarding 
    the disposition of the registration and use of the domain name are deposited 
    with the court.
`(D)(i) The remedies in an in rem action under this paragraph shall be 
  limited to a court order for the forfeiture or cancellation of the domain name 
  or the transfer of the domain name to the owner of the mark. Upon receipt of 
  written notification of a filed, stamped copy of a complaint filed by the 
  owner of a mark in a United States district court under this paragraph, the 
  domain name registrar, domain name registry, or other domain name authority 
  shall--
  `(I) expeditiously deposit with the court documents sufficient to 
    establish the court's control and authority regarding the disposition of the 
    registration and use of the domain name to the court; and
  `(II) not transfer, suspend, or otherwise modify the domain name during 
    the pendency of the action, except upon order of the court.
`(ii) The domain name registrar or registry or other domain name authority 
  shall not be liable for injunctive or monetary relief under this paragraph 
  except in the case of bad faith or reckless disregard, which includes a 
  willful failure to comply with any such court order.
`(3) The civil action established under paragraph (1) and the in rem 
  action established under paragraph (2), and any remedy available under either 
  such action, shall be in addition to any other civil action or remedy 
  otherwise applicable.
`(4) The in rem jurisdiction established under paragraph (2) shall be in 
  addition to any other jurisdiction that otherwise exists, whether in rem or in 
  personam.'.
(b) CYBERPIRACY PROTECTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS-
  
    (A) CIVIL LIABILITY- Any person who registers a domain name that 
      consists of the name of another living person, or a name substantially and 
      confusingly similar thereto, without that person's consent, with the 
      specific intent to profit from such name by selling the domain name for 
      financial gain to that person or any third party, shall be liable in a 
      civil action by such person.
  
    (B) EXCEPTION- A person who in good faith registers a domain name 
      consisting of the name of another living person, or a name substantially 
      and confusingly similar thereto, shall not be liable under this paragraph 
      if such name is used in, affiliated with, or related to a work of 
      authorship protected under title 17, United States Code, including a work 
      made for hire as defined in section 101 of title 17, United States Code, 
      and if the person registering the domain name is the copyright owner or 
      licensee of the work, the person intends to sell the domain name in 
      conjunction with the lawful exploitation of the work, and such 
      registration is not prohibited by a contract between the registrant and 
      the named person. The exception under this subparagraph shall apply only 
      to a civil action brought under paragraph (1) and shall in no manner limit 
      the protections afforded under the Trademark Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 1051 
      et seq.) or other provision of Federal or State law.
  (2) REMEDIES- In any civil action brought under paragraph (1), a court 
    may award injunctive relief, including the forfeiture or cancellation of the 
    domain name or the transfer of the domain name to the plaintiff. The court 
    may also, in its discretion, award costs and attorneys fees to the 
    prevailing party.
  (3) DEFINITION- In this subsection, the term `domain name' has the 
    meaning given that term in section 45 of the Trademark Act of 1946 (15 
    U.S.C. 1127).
  (4) EFFECTIVE DATE- This subsection shall apply to domain names 
    registered on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3003. DAMAGES AND REMEDIES.
(a) REMEDIES IN CASES OF DOMAIN NAME PIRACY-
  (1) INJUNCTIONS- Section 34(a) of the Trademark Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 
    1116(a)) is amended in the first sentence by striking `(a) or (c)' and 
    inserting `(a), (c), or (d)'.
  (2) DAMAGES- Section 35(a) of the Trademark Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 
    1117(a)) is amended in the first sentence by inserting `, (c), or (d)' after 
    `section 43(a)'.
(b) STATUTORY DAMAGES- Section 35 of the Trademark Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 
  1117) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(d) In a case involving a violation of section 43(d)(1), the plaintiff 
  may elect, at any time before final judgment is rendered by the trial court, 
  to recover, instead of actual damages and profits, an award of statutory 
  damages in the amount of not less than $1,000 and not more than $100,000 per 
  domain name, as the court considers just.
SEC. 3004. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY.
Section 32(2) of the Trademark Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 1114) is 
amended--
  (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking `under section 
    43(a)' and inserting `under section 43(a) or (d)'; and
  (2) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E) and inserting 
    after subparagraph (C) the following:
  `(D)(i)(I) A domain name registrar, a domain name registry, or other 
    domain name registration authority that takes any action described under 
    clause (ii) affecting a domain name shall not be liable for monetary relief 
    or, except as provided in subclause (II), for injunctive relief, to any 
    person for such action, regardless of whether the domain name is finally 
    determined to infringe or dilute the mark.
  `(II) A domain name registrar, domain name registry, or other domain 
    name registration authority described in subclause (I) may be subject to 
    injunctive relief only if such registrar, registry, or other registration 
    authority has--
  
    `(aa) not expeditiously deposited with a court, in which an action has 
      been filed regarding the disposition of the domain name, documents 
      sufficient for the court to establish the court's control and authority 
      regarding the disposition of the registration and use of the domain 
    name;
  
    `(bb) transferred, suspended, or otherwise modified the domain name 
      during the pendency of the action, except upon order of the court; 
or
  
    `(cc) willfully failed to comply with any such court order.
  `(ii) An action referred to under clause (i)(I) is any action of 
    refusing to register, removing from registration, transferring, temporarily 
    disabling, or permanently canceling a domain name--
  
    `(I) in compliance with a court order under section 43(d); or
  
    `(II) in the implementation of a reasonable policy by such registrar, 
      registry, or authority prohibiting the registration of a domain name that 
      is identical to, confusingly similar to, or dilutive of another's 
  mark.
  `(iii) A domain name registrar, a domain name registry, or other domain 
    name registration authority shall not be liable for damages under this 
    section for the registration or maintenance of a domain name for another 
    absent a showing of bad faith intent to profit from such registration or 
    maintenance of the domain name.
  `(iv) If a registrar, registry, or other registration authority takes an 
    action described under clause (ii) based on a knowing and material 
    misrepresentation by any other person that a domain name is identical to, 
    confusingly similar to, or dilutive of a mark, the person making the knowing 
    and material misrepresentation shall be liable for any damages, including 
    costs and attorney's fees, incurred by the domain name registrant as a 
    result of such action. The court may also grant injunctive relief to the 
    domain name registrant, including the reactivation of the domain name or the 
    transfer of the domain name to the domain name registrant.
  `(v) A domain name registrant whose domain name has been suspended, 
    disabled, or transferred under a policy described under clause (ii)(II) may, 
    upon notice to the mark owner, file a civil action to establish that the 
    registration or use of the domain name by such registrant is not unlawful 
    under this Act. The court may grant injunctive relief to the domain name 
    registrant, including the reactivation of the domain name or transfer of the 
    domain name to the domain name registrant.'.
SEC. 3005. DEFINITIONS.
Section 45 of the Trademark Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 1127) is amended by 
  inserting after the undesignated paragraph defining the term `counterfeit' the 
  following:
`The term `domain name' means any alphanumeric designation which is 
  registered with or assigned by any domain name registrar, domain name 
  registry, or other domain name registration authority as part of an electronic 
  address on the Internet.
`The term `Internet' has the meaning given that term in section 230(f)(1) 
  of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(1)).'.
SEC. 3006. STUDY ON ABUSIVE DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATIONS INVOLVING PERSONAL 
NAMES.
(a) IN GENERAL- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
  this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Patent and 
  Trademark Office and the Federal Election Commission, shall conduct a study 
  and report to Congress with recommendations on guidelines and procedures for 
  resolving disputes involving the registration or use by a person of a domain 
  name that includes the personal name of another person, in whole or in part, 
  or a name confusingly similar thereto, including consideration of and 
  recommendations for--
  (1) protecting personal names from registration by another person as a 
    second level domain name for purposes of selling or otherwise transferring 
    such domain name to such other person or any third party for financial 
  gain;
  (2) protecting individuals from bad faith uses of their personal names 
    as second level domain names by others with malicious intent to harm the 
    reputation of the individual or the goodwill associated with that 
    individual's name;
  (3) protecting consumers from the registration and use of domain names 
    that include personal names in the second level domain in manners which are 
    intended or are likely to confuse or deceive the public as to the 
    affiliation, connection, or association of the domain name registrant, or a 
    site accessible under the domain name, with such other person, or as to the 
    origin, sponsorship, or approval of the goods, services, or commercial 
    activities of the domain name registrant;
  (4) protecting the public from registration of domain names that include 
    the personal names of government officials, official candidates, and 
    potential official candidates for Federal, State, or local political office 
    in the United States, and the use of such domain names in a manner that 
    disrupts the electoral process or the public's ability to access accurate 
    and reliable information regarding such individuals;
  (5) existing remedies, whether under State law or otherwise, and the 
    extent to which such remedies are sufficient to address the considerations 
    described in paragraphs (1) through (4); and
  (6) the guidelines, procedures, and policies of the Internet Corporation 
    for Assigned Names and Numbers and the extent to which they address the 
    considerations described in paragraphs (1) through (4).
(b) GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES- The Secretary of Commerce shall, under its 
  Memorandum of Understanding with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names 
  and Numbers, collaborate to develop guidelines and procedures for resolving 
  disputes involving the registration or use by a person of a domain name that 
  includes the personal name of another person, in whole or in part, or a name 
  confusingly similar thereto.
SEC. 3007. HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
Section 101(a)(1)(A) of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
  470a(a)(1)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following: `Notwithstanding 
  section 43(c) of the Act entitled `An Act to provide for the registration and 
  protection of trademarks used in commerce, to carry out the provisions of 
  certain international conventions, and for other purposes', approved July 5, 
  1946 (commonly known as the `Trademark Act of 1946' (15 U.S.C. 1125(c))), 
  buildings and structures on or eligible for inclusion on the National Register 
  of Historic Places (either individually or as part of a historic district), or 
  designated as an individual landmark or as a contributing building in a 
  historic district by a unit of State or local government, may retain the name 
  historically associated with the building or structure.'.
SEC. 3008. SAVINGS CLAUSE.
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