The Congress finds that—

(1) the United States fastener industry is a significant contributor to the global economy, employing thousands of workers in hundreds of communities;

(2) the American economy uses billions of fasteners each year;

(3) state-of-the-art manufacturing and improved quality assurance systems have dramatically improved fastener quality, so virtually all fasteners sold in commerce meet or exceed the consensus standards for the uses to which they are applied;

(4) a small number of mismarked, misrepresented, and counterfeit fasteners do enter commerce in the United States; and

(5) multiple criteria for the identification of fasteners exist, including grade identification markings and manufacturer‘s insignia, to enable purchasers and users of fasteners to accurately evaluate the characteristics of individual fasteners.

Terms Used In 15 USC 5401

  • fastener: means a metallic screw, nut, bolt, or stud having internal or external threads, with a nominal diameter of 6 millimeters or greater, in the case of such items described in metric terms, or ¼. See 15 USC 5402
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
  • manufacturer: means a person who fabricates fasteners for sale in commerce. See 15 USC 5402