I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5749 
To impose natural gas trading limits during emergencies. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 27, 2021 
Mr. CASTRO of Texas (for himself and Mr. DOGGETT) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To impose natural gas trading limits during emergencies. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gas Consumer Emer-
gency Market Protection Act’’. 
SEC. 2. IDENTIFICATION OF BENEFICIARIES OF DRAMATIC 
INCREASES IN NATURAL GAS PRICES IN RE-
LATION TO WINTER STORM URI. 
(a) STUDY.—The Commodity Futures Trading Com-
mission shall conduct a study designed to reveal who bene-
fitted from the dramatic increases in natural gas prices 
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on the spot market and day-ahead markets in relation to 
Winter Storm Uri. 
(b) REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.—Within 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commodity 
Futures Trading Commission shall submit to the Congress 
a written report that contains the results of the study re-
quired by subsection (a) and includes recommendations on 
how to address similar circumstances which may arise in 
the future. 
SEC. 3. RULEMAKING TO REQUIRE IMPOSITION OF NAT-
URAL GAS TRADING LIMITS IN THE SPOT AND 
DAY-AHEAD MARKETS DURING EMERGENCY. 
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission shall 
conduct a rulemaking requiring all facilities on or through 
which natural gas is traded on the spot market and the 
day-ahead market to impose limits on trading in natural 
gas during an emergency declared by an agency or instru-
mentality of the Federal Government, to prevent market 
distortions. 
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON NATURAL GAS PRICE GOUGING 
ON SPOT OR DAY-AHEAD MARKET DURING 
EMERGENCY. 
The Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.) 
is amended by inserting after section 4t the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 4u. PROHIBITION ON NATURAL GAS PRICE GOUGING 
ON SPOT OR DAY-AHEAD MARKET DURING 
EMERGENCY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If the Commission finds, after 
notice and opportunity for hearing, that, during an emer-
gency declared by an agency or instrumentality of the 
Federal Government, a person has sold or offered for sale, 
or has attempted to sell or offer for sale, in or affecting 
interstate or foreign commerce, on any spot or day-ahead 
market, any quantity of natural gas for a price that ex-
ceeds such baseline price as the Commission may establish 
by rule, regulation or order, the Commission may subject 
the person to a civil penalty. 
‘‘(b) AMOUNT OF PENALTY.—The amount of a civil 
penalty imposed on a person under subsection (a) shall 
be not more than $1,000,000 per day.’’. 
Æ 
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