On Feb. 19, the Office of the United States Trade Representative held hearings on the challenges that America’s innovative industries face in protecting their intellectual property rights abroad.

The hearings were part of a review published as an annual document called the Special 301 Report. The report has some teeth.

It names and shames countries that don’t fully protect American intellectual property, or afford market access to goods and services that rely on it. The report also provides for audits of recalcitrant trade partners to encourage them to make timely and measurable progress.

The Biden administration’s Special 301 reports, however, did not fulfill these statutory requirements. The 2023 report turned a blind eye to some of the most egregious violations of U.S. patents. The 2024 report practically encouraged them.

Biden gutted these reports to pander to the far left of his party, which erroneously believes that intellectual property only benefits a few corporations.

The 2025 report needs to show things will be different. To this end, it should call out countries that are tilting the scales on intellectual property rules, such as by abusing

© The Hill