This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/california-congressman-wants-to-bar-federal-trademark-protection-for-redskins/2015/02/04/ac30b131-de42-4650-b6b2-f05aea31f3fa_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
California congressman wants to bar federal trademark protection for ‘Redskins’ California congressman wants to bar federal trademark protection for ‘Redskins’
(35 minutes later)
A California congressman introduced a bill this week that would ban existing and future federal trademarks for any sports team that uses the term “Redskins,” the latest attempt on Capitol Hill to pressure Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder into changing the team’s name. Rep. Michael Honda, a Democrat whose district includes Silicon Valley and will be the location of next year’s Super Bowl, made it clear that though the bill is sweeping, it clearly targets one sports team. “It is unbelievable to me that, in the 21st century, a prominent NFL franchise is calling itself by a racial slur,” Honda said. “Team names should not be offensive to anyone. Allowing trademark protection of this word is akin to the government approving its use. Removing that trademark will send a clear message that this name is not acceptable.” [RELATED: Civil rights group closely allied with the NFL calls for the Redskins to change its name] Honda’s bill, entitled “The Non-Disparagement of Native American Persons or Peoples in Trademark Registration Act,” comes nearly five months after several prominent senators, including Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Harry Reid (D-Nev.) introduced legislation that would revoke the NFL’s tax-exempt status if it continues backing the Redskins name. But both the House and Senate are controlled by Republicans, and last year not a single Republican signed a letter  to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell from 50 Democratic senators urging a name change. So the proposed legislation’s chances for passage seem unlikely.The bill comes in the middle of the Redskins’ legal quest to keep the team’s federal trademark protections. Last summer, the Redskins filed an appeal in Alexandria federal court seeking to overturn a patent and trademark office’s appeals board decision that declared the team’s name offensive and ordered its federal trademark registrations to be stripped. The appeals board ruled that the Redskins’ name and logo offends a large number of Native Americans in violation of the Lanham Act, which bars federal trademarks that possibly disparage or bring people into “contempt or disrepute.” But the Redskins have argued that the Lanham Act is “unconstitutionally vague” and weakens First Amendment rights. Last month, Dana J. Boente, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, filed a notice in the court case saying that the Justice Department would defend the constitutionality of the Lanham Act, a move that many Native American supporters of a name change cheered as a sign that the government was on their side. A trial date has been scheduled for late June. Honda said in a statement that his new bill would “formally declare” that “redskins” is disparaging when used in reference to Native Americans, and “thus cannot be trademarked under the Lanham Act.” Dan Snyder has promised that he’ll never change the team’s name and says the team’s name honors Native Americans. An e-mail to a team spokesman was not immediately returned. [RELATED: At FedEx Field, Redskins name protesters exchange sharp words with fans] A California congressman introduced a bill this week that would ban existing and future federal trademarks for any sports team that uses the term “Redskins,” the latest attempt on Capitol Hill to pressure Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder into changing the team’s name.
Rep. Michael Honda, a Democrat whose district includes Silicon Valley and will be the location of next year’s Super Bowl, made it clear that though the bill is sweeping, it clearly targets one sports team. “It is unbelievable to me that, in the 21st century, a prominent NFL franchise is calling itself by a racial slur,” Honda said. “Team names should not be offensive to anyone. Allowing trademark protection of this word is akin to the government approving its use. Removing that trademark will send a clear message that this name is not acceptable.”
[RELATED: Civil rights group closely allied with the NFL calls for the Redskins to change its name]
Honda’s bill, entitled “The Non-Disparagement of Native American Persons or Peoples in Trademark Registration Act,” comes nearly five months after several prominent senators, including Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Harry Reid (D-Nev.) introduced legislation that would revoke the NFL’s tax-exempt status if it continues backing the Redskins name.
But both the House and Senate are controlled by Republicans, and last year not a single Republican signed a letter  to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell from 50 Democratic senators urging a name change. So the proposed legislation’s chances for passage seem unlikely.
The bill comes in the middle of the Redskins’ legal quest to keep the team’s federal trademark protections. Last summer, the Redskins filed an appeal in Alexandria federal court seeking to overturn a patent and trademark office’s appeals board decision that declared the team’s name offensive and ordered its federal trademark registrations to be stripped. The appeals board ruled that the Redskins’ name and logo offends a large number of Native Americans in violation of the Lanham Act, which bars federal trademarks that possibly disparage or bring people into “contempt or disrepute.”
But the Redskins have argued that the Lanham Act is “unconstitutionally vague” and weakens First Amendment rights. Last month, Dana J. Boente, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, filed a notice in the court case saying that the Justice Department would defend the constitutionality of the Lanham Act, a move that many Native American supporters of a name change cheered as a sign that the government was on their side. A trial date has been scheduled for late June.
Honda said in a statement that his new bill would “formally declare” that “redskins” is disparaging when used in reference to Native Americans, and “thus cannot be trademarked under the Lanham Act.”
Dan Snyder has promised that he’ll never change the team’s name and says the team’s name honors Native Americans.
“We encourage everyone to support the positive work of the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation which is tangibly improving opportunities in the lives of Native Americans,” team spokesman Tony Wyllie said in a statement. “People should learn about the strong support for our team,” including among Native Americans.
[RELATED: At FedEx Field, Redskins name protesters exchange sharp words with fans]