American IDEA Act

S 2566, the American IDEA Act, amends U.S. intellectual property (IP) enforcement laws to specifically target IP theft by entities in countries on the "priority watch list" (defined under the Trade Act of 1974). It updates grant programs (IPEP grants) to prioritize funding for investigations into IP violations involving watch list countries, including cases involving imported products from those nations. The bill also creates a new legal aid program to provide free or low-cost IP protection services to low-revenue small businesses and establishes two mandatory GAO studies on improving IP protection and diplomatic efforts regarding watch list countries. These changes directly affect U.S. manufacturers, universities, and small businesses facing IP theft from specific foreign jurisdictions.