I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7750 
To prohibit unfair or deceptive acts or practices in connection with the 
public health emergency resulting from COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 23, 2020 
Mr. LUJA´N (for himself, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. LOEBSACK, 
Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CASE, Mr. PAS-
CRELL, Ms. NORTON, Mr. WELCH, Mr. O’HALLERAN, and Mr. VEASEY) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To prohibit unfair or deceptive acts or practices in connection 
with the public health emergency resulting from COVID– 
19, 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 ‘‘Stopping COVID 
Scams Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. ENFORCEMENT AGAINST SCAMS RELATED TO 
COVID–19. 
(a) AUTHORITY OF THE FTC.— 
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(1) AUTHORITY.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, any conduct described in paragraph 
(2) that the Commission finds to be an unfair or de-
ceptive act or practice, shall be treated as a violation 
of a regulation under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the 
Federal 
Trade 
Commission 
Act 
(15 
U.S.C. 
57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or deceptive acts or 
practices. 
(2) CONDUCT
DESCRIBED.—The conduct de-
scribed in this paragraph is any conduct, act, or 
practice that occurs during the public health emer-
gency declared on January 31, 2020, pursuant to 
section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 247d) as a result of confirmed cases of 
COVID–19, or any renewal thereof. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In determining whether un-
fair or deceptive acts or practices are associated with the 
public health emergency in subsection (a), the Commission 
shall consider— 
(1) whether the acts or practices involve goods 
or services explicitly advertised as related to the 
public health emergency; 
(2) whether the acts or practices involve goods 
or services for which consumer demand significantly 
increased in the time period beginning 30 days be-
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fore the declaration of the public health emergency 
until the public health emergency ends; or 
(3) whether the acts or practices relate to Fed-
eral or State Government responses to the COVID– 
19 pandemic, including public health response, such 
as testing and treatment of the disease, and eco-
nomic response, such as unemployment insurance or 
stimulus checks. 
(c) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) ENFORCEMENT BY FEDERAL TRADE COM-
MISSION.— 
(A) POWERS OF COMMISSION.—The Com-
mission shall enforce a violation described in 
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 Com-
mission Act. 
(B) EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.—Nothing 
in this Act shall be construed in any way to 
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limit the authority of the Commission under 
any other provision of law. 
(2) ENFORCEMENT BY STATE ATTORNEYS GEN-
ERAL.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—If the chief law en-
forcement officer of a State, or an official or 
agency designated by a State, has reason to be-
lieve that any person has violated or is violating 
subsection (a), the attorney general, official, or 
agency of the State, in addition to any author-
ity it may have to bring an action in State 
court under its consumer protection law, may 
bring a civil action in any appropriate United 
States district court or in any other court of 
competent jurisdiction, including a State court, 
to— 
(i) enjoin further such violation by 
such person; 
(ii) enforce compliance with such sub-
section; 
(iii) obtain civil penalties; and 
(iv) obtain damages, restitution, or 
other compensation on behalf of residents 
of the State. 
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