CLEAR Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-5315
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2]
Introduced: 2016-05-24
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Competition and antitrust

Congressional oversight

Consumer affairs

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Government studies and investigations
Latest action: action_date: 2016-05-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-05-24
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Clarifying Legality and Enforcement Action Reasoning Act of 2016 or the CLEAR Act</b> <b>of 2016</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to submit an annual report to Congress about its investigations concerning unfair or deceptive acts or practices, or unfair methods of competition, in or affecting commerce. The reports must detail:</p> <ul> <li>the number of such investigations the FTC has commenced and the disposition of investigations that concluded with official agency action; and </li> <li>the number of investigations the FTC has closed with no official agency action, along with a description that indicates the legal analysis supporting the FTC's decision not to continue such investigations, and the industry sectors of the entities subject to each such investigation.</li> </ul> <p>The bill prohibits the FTC from identifying a person who is the subject of an investigation in its description of an investigation that closed with no official agency action.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5315 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 24, 2016 Mr. Guthrie (for himself, Mr. Burgess , and Mrs. Mimi Walters of California ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary , 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 A BILL To amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to require annual reports to Congress regarding the status of investigations of unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and of unfair methods of competition, in or affecting commerce.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Clarifying Legality and Enforcement Action Reasoning Act of 2016 or the CLEAR Act of 2016 . 2. Annual reporting on the status of investigations Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 45 ) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (o) Report on investigations (1) In general The Commission shall, on an annual basis, submit a report to Congress on investigations with respect to unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and with respect to unfair methods of competition, in or affecting commerce (within the meaning of subsection (a)(1)), detailing— (A) the number of such investigations the Commission has commenced; (B) the number of such investigations the Commission has closed with no official agency action; (C) the disposition of such investigations, if such investigations have concluded and resulted in official agency action; and (D) for each such investigation that was closed with no official agency action, a description sufficient to indicate the legal analysis supporting the Commission’s decision not to continue such investigation, and the industry sectors of the entities subject to each such investigation. (2) Privacy protection The description required under paragraph (1)(D) shall not include the identity of the person who is the subject of an investigation or any other information that identifies the person. .