,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ggej ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #bc1 #bjbj,mr4 ,lujn 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,butterfield1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 ,mr4 ,loebsack1 ,mr4 ,mc,nerney1 ,mr4 ,crdenas1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mr4 ,case1 ,mr4 ,pascrell1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,welch1 ,mr4 ,o',halleran1 and ,mr4 ,veasey7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit unfair or deceptive acts or practices in connection with the public health emergency resulting from ,,covid-#ai1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,stopping ,,covid ,scams ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,enforcement against scams related to ,,covid-#ai 7a7 ,authority of the ,,ftc 7#a7 ,authority ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 any conduct described in paragraph 7#b7 that the ,commission finds to be an unfair or deceptive act or practice1 shall be treated as a violation of a regulation under section #ah7;a77#a77;,b7 of the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #eg;a7a77#a77;,b77 regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices4 7#b7 ,conduct described ,the conduct described in this paragraph is any conduct1 act1 or practice that occurs during the public health emergency declared on ,january #ca1 #bjbj1 pursuant to section #cai of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7 as a result of confirmed cases of ,,covid-#ai1 or any renewal thereof4 7b7 ,considerations ,in determining whether unfair or deceptive acts or practices are associated with the public health emergency in subsection 7a71 the ,commission shall consider-- 7#a7 whether the acts or practices involve goods or services explicitly advertised as related to the public health emergency2 7#b7 whether the acts or practices involve goods or services for which consumer demand significantly increased in the time period beginning #cj days before the declaration of the public health emergency until the public health emergency ends2 or 7#c7 whether the acts or practices relate to ,federal or ,state ,government responses to the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 including public health response1 such as testing and treatment of the disease1 and economic response1 such as unemployment insurance or stimulus checks4 7c7 ,enforcement 7#a7 ,enforcement by ,federal ,trade ,commission 7,a7 ,powers of commission ,the ,commission shall enforce a violation described in subsection 7a7 in the same manner1 by the same means1 and with the same jurisdiction1 powers1 and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq47 were incorporated into and made a part of this ,act4 ,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 ,act4 7,b7 ,effect on other laws ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed in any way to limit the authority of the ,commission under any other provision of law4 7#b7 ,enforcement by ,state attorneys general 7,a7 ,in general ,if the chief law enforcement officer of a ,state1 or an official or agency designated by a ,state1 has reason to believe that any person has violated or is violating subsection 7a71 the attorney general1 official1 or agency of the ,state1 in addition to any authority it may have to bring an action in ,state court under its consumer protection law1 may bring a civil action in any appropriate ,united ,states district court or in any other court of competent jurisdiction1 including a ,state court1 to-- 7i7 enjoin further such violation by such person2 7ii7 enforce compliance with such subsection2 7iii7 obtain civil penalties2 and 7iv7 obtain damages1 restitution1 or other compensation on behalf of residents of the ,state4 7,b7 ,notice and intervention by the ,,ftc ,the attorney general of a ,state shall provide prior written notice of any action under subparagraph 7,a7 to the ,commission and provide the ,commission with a copy of the complaint in the action1 except in any case in which such prior notice is not feasible1 in which case the attorney general shall serve such notice immediately upon instituting such action4 ,the ,commission shall have the right-- 7i7 to intervene in the action2 7ii7 upon so intervening1 to be heard on all matters arising therein2 and 7iii7 to file petitions for appeal4 7,c7 ,limitation on ,state action while ,federal action is pending ,if the ,commission has instituted a civil action for violation of this ,act1 no ,state attorney general1 or official or agency of a ,state1 may bring an action under this paragraph during the pendency of that action against any defendant named in the complaint of the ,commission for any violation of this ,act alleged in the complaint4 7,d7 ,relationship with ,state-law claims ,if the attorney general of a ,state has authority to bring an action under ,state law directed at acts or practices that also violate this ,act1 the attorney general may assert the ,state-law claim and a claim under this ,act in the same civil action4 7#c7 ,savings clause ,nothing in this ,act shall preempt or otherwise affect any ,state or local law4 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section-- 7#a7 the term ,commission means the ,federal ,trade ,commission2 and 7#b7 the term ,state means each of the several ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 each commonwealth1 territory1 or possession of the ,united ,states1 and each federally recognized ,indian ,tribe4