Title: Of inquiry requesting the President to provide certain documents to the House of Representatives relating to communications and directives with the Federal Trade Commission.
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
This resolution requests that the President provide to the House of Representatives certain information and documents related to the Federal Trade Commission's policies and practices, including changes to the commission's draft strategy plan, the commission's interpretation of its antitrust mission, and the votes of departing commissioners.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1261 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1261

Of inquiry requesting the President to provide certain documents to the 
House of Representatives relating to communications and directives with 
                     the Federal Trade Commission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 26, 2022

Mr. Bilirakis submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Of inquiry requesting the President to provide certain documents to the 
House of Representatives relating to communications and directives with 
                     the Federal Trade Commission.

    Resolved, That the President of the United States is requested to 
furnish the House of Representatives, not later than 14 days after the 
date of adoption of this resolution, copies of any document, record, 
audio recording, memorandum, call log, correspondence (electronic or 
otherwise), or other communication in his possession, or any portion of 
any document, record, audio recording, memorandum, call log, 
correspondence (electronic or otherwise), or other communication, that 
refers or relates to the following:
            (1) The decision of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to 
        delete ``without unduly burdening legitimate business 
        activity'' from the FTC's draft strategy plan for fiscal years 
        2022 to 2026, as such language has been included in FTC mission 
        statements for decades, through both Republican and Democrat 
        administrations.
            (2) The FTC's goals changing from its traditional focus on 
        protecting consumers from fraud, as well as ensuring businesses 
        have clear rules to follow, in favor of an unorthodox 
        interpretation of its antitrust mission to reshape the United 
        States economy.
            (3) The FTC's communications and actions with departing 
        commissioners, including casting so-called ``zombie'' votes 
        after such individual's departure, and any use of official 
        resources by such individual during or after such individual's 
        departure.
            (4) Complaints received from career FTC employees regarding 
        being silenced with a ``gag rule'' as well as being terminated 
        for exercising independence from the FTC Chair's executive 
        staff.
            (5) Communication or coordination between the Executive 
        Office of the President and the Federal Trade Commission to 
        initiate a Trade Regulation Rule on Commercial Surveillance.
            (6) Statement by National Economic Council (NEC special 
        assistant Tim Wu) who reportedly ``asked the FTC to see if 
        [you] can craft a rule around data collection''.
            (7) Transmission from the Federal Trade Commission to 
        Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on a Trade 
        Regulation Rule on Commercial Surveillance.
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