Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act

Bill: 117-hr-7688
Sponsor: Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]
Introduced: 2022-05-06 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Competition and antitrust
Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Energy assistance for the poor and aged
Energy prices
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Motor fuels
Oil and gas
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Retail and wholesale trades
State and local government operations
War and emergency powers

Summary:
action_date: 2022-05-06
text: 

Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act

 
 This bill prohibits any person from selling, during a proclaimed energy emergency, a consumer fuel at a price that (1) is unconscionably excessive, and (2) indicates that the seller is exploiting the emergency to increase prices unreasonably. The President may issue a proclamation of such an emergency that specifies the consumer fuel and geographic area covered and how long the proclamation applies.
 
The bill provides for enforcement of these provisions by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general. Civil penalties collected by the commission through such enforcement must be used to provide assistance under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

action_date: 2022-05-19
text: 

Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act

 
 This bill prohibits any person from selling, during a proclaimed energy emergency, a consumer fuel at a price that (1) is unconscionably excessive, and (2) indicates that the seller is exploiting the emergency to increase prices unreasonably. The President may issue a proclamation of such an emergency that specifies the consumer fuel and geographic area covered and how long the proclamation applies.
 
The bill provides for enforcement of these provisions by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general. Civil penalties collected by the commission through such enforcement must be used to provide assistance under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
 
Additionally, the commission must investigate whether the price of gasoline is being manipulated through reducing refinery capacity or other manipulative practices. The commission also must establish a Transportation Fuel Monitoring and Enforcement Unit to collect, monitor, and analyze crude oil and transportation fuel market data.
 
The bill further includes specified transportation fuels within the prohibitions against (1) manipulative market practices, and (2) reporting false price information. It also increases the penalty for violations of those prohibitions.
 
Finally, the Energy Information Administration must survey energy companies to facilitate transparent and competitive crude oil and transportation fuel markets.
 
 

 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 373.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: Received in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (Legislative Day 5/17/2022).
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 207 (Roll no. 232).
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 217 - 207 (Roll no. 232).
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 201 - 220 (Roll no. 231).
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: Mr. Westerman moved to recommit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. (text: CR H5193)
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Pappas amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment, and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mrs. Rodgers demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the amendment until a time to be announced.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1124, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Pappas amendment No. 2.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Demings amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment, and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mrs. Rodgers demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the amendment until a time to be announced.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: The previous question was ordered on the amendment (A002) pursuant to the rule.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1124, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Demings amendment No. 1
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 7688.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 350, H.R. 7688 and H.R. 7790. Provides for one of hour of general debate and one motion to recommit for each bill. Resolution also provides for en bloc suspension authority.
action_date: 2022-05-19
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1124. (consideration: CR H5179-5195; text: CR H5179-5181)
action_date: 2022-05-17
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1124 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 350, H.R. 7688 and H.R. 7790. Provides for one of hour of general debate and one motion to recommit for each bill. Resolution also provides for en bloc suspension authority.
action_date: 2022-05-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2022-05-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2022-05-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2022-05-06
text: Introduced in House