Three Northern Virginia lawmakers are tackling the ongoing battle over the Redskins name by forming a bipartisan group to represent fans of the team.
State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax City), Del. Jackson Miller (R-Manassas), and Del. David Ramadan (R-Loudoun) have formed the "Redskins Pride Caucus."
The group says it wants to give fans and season ticket holders a voice and support the Redskins franchise, which generates hundreds of millions of dollars for Virginia "schools, roads and other public services."
The Redskins Pride Caucus also says it "supports commercial freedom" and opposes any intervention from Congress in Redskins-related issues.
Last week, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office cancelled six of the team's trademarks, ruling that the polarizing moniker is "disparaging to Native Americans."
The decision, however, does not require the Redskins to change their name.
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Federal trademark law does not allow the registration of trademarks that are considered disparaging to individuals or groups.
