I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7277 
To prohibit unconscionable pricing of emergency supplies for responders 
during a Federal emergency period, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 18, 2020 
Ms. SPEIER (for herself, Mr. COHEN, Ms. JACKSON LEE, and Ms. MENG) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To prohibit unconscionable pricing of emergency supplies for 
responders during a Federal emergency period, and for 
other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Unconscionable Pric-
ing Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to protect local and State government agen-
cies and private and nonprofit organizations acting 
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in response to the covered emergency to protect the 
health, safety, and welfare of persons; and 
(2) to make it unlawful in the region or State 
affected by a covered emergency for any person to 
impose or otherwise charge unconscionable prices to 
responders for the purchase or procurement of emer-
gency supplies during the period of the covered 
emergency. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF UNCONSCIONABLE PRICING DUR-
ING DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—During an emergency period it 
shall be unlawful in the region or State affected by the 
emergency declaration for any person to impose uncon-
scionable prices for the sale, rental, lease, or procurement 
of any emergency supply. 
(b) FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION.—In determining 
whether a seller has violated subsection (a), a price shall 
be considered unconscionable if any person during the 
emergency period charges a price that exceeds, by an 
amount equal to or in excess of 10 percent the average 
price at which the same or similar emergency supply was 
obtainable in the affected area during 30 days before the 
emergency declaration was issued and the increase in price 
charged is not attributable to reasonable costs incurred 
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in connection with the rental or sale of the emergency sup-
ply. 
(c) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) ENFORCEMENT BY THE FEDERAL TRADE 
COMMISSION.— 
(A) UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRAC-
TICES.—A violation of subsection (a) shall be 
treated as a violation of a regulation under sec-
tion 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commis-
sion Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding 
unfair or deceptive acts or practices. 
(B) POWERS OF COMMISSION.—The Com-
mission shall enforce subsection (a) in the same 
manner, by the same means, and with the same 
jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all 
applicable terms and provisions of the Federal 
Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) 
were incorporated into and made a part of this 
Act. Any person who violates such subsection 
shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to 
the privileges and immunities provided in the 
Federal Trade Commission Act. 
(2) EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in this 
Act shall be construed in any way to limit the au-
thority of the Commission under any other provision 
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