The Constitution of the United States provides in Article 1, Section 8, clause 8 that congress has the power “to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts by securing for Limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries”. The power of the United States Congress to regulate trademarks is granted through the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Protecting the rights of those who create and market new and unique products and artistic works is fundamental to our economic system. The rights of inventors and artists in their creations as well as the right to protect trade secrets and trade names are referred to as ‘intellectual property rights.”
