,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hai ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #bh1 #bjai,mr4 ,ted ,lieu of ,california 7for himself and ,mr4 ,gallego7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to protect the public from the harmful consequences of the ,federal ,government shutdown by prohibiting certain actions1 to provide enforcement for such prohibition by the ,federal ,trade ,commission1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,protecting ,families from ,government ,shutdowns ,act4 #b4 ,actions prohibited during a ,federal ,government shutdown 7a7 ,conduct prohibited 7#a7 ,reliance on ,government service ,it shall be unlawful for an entity to do any of the following with respect to a person if that person is unable to meet an obligation because of ,government service is not available during a lapse in appropriations3 7,a7 ,debt collection4 7,b7 ,collect interest on loans accrued during the lapse4 7,c7 ,eviction4 7,d7 ,foreclosure4 7,e7 ,acceleration or downgrading of credit4 7,f7 ,require any other obligation required by law or contract that relies on a ,government service not available during a lapse in appropriations4 7#b7 ,service contracts ,it shall be unlawful for an entity to enforce any penalty provision in a contract for services that is violated as the result of a lapse in appropriations and services being stopped4 7b7 ,enforcement by the ,federal ,trade ,commission 7#a7 ,in general ,a violation of subsection 7a7 shall be treated as an unfair and deceptive act or practice in violation of a regulation issued under section #ah7;a77#a77;,b7 of the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #eg;a7a77#a77;,b774 7#b7 ,promulgation of rule ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,federal ,trade ,commission shall1 in accordance with section #eec of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 promulgate rules to prohibit1 as an unfair and deceptive act or practice1 the conduct described in subsection 7a74 ,a violation of such rules shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice under section #ah7;a77#a77;,b7 of the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #eg;a7a77#a77;,b774 ,the ,commission shall enforce such rules 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 were incorporated into and made a part of this ,act4 ,any person who violates this ,act shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq474 7c7 ,enforcement by ,states 7#a7 ,authorization ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 in any case in which the attorney general of a ,state has reason to believe that an interest of the residents of the ,state has been or is threatened or adversely affected by a violation of subsection 7a71 the attorney general of the ,state may1 as parens patriae1 bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of the ,state in an appropriate district court of the ,united ,states to obtain appropriate relief4 7#b7 ,rights of ,federal ,trade ,commission 7,a7 ,notice to ,,ftc 7i7 ,in general ,except as provided in clause 7iii71 the attorney general of a ,state shall notify the ,federal ,trade ,commission in writing that the attorney general intends to bring a civil action under paragraph 7#a7 before initiating the civil action against a person for a violation of subsection 7a74 7ii7 ,contents ,the notification required by clause 7i7 with respect to a civil action shall include a copy of the complaint to be filed to initiate the civil action4 7iii7 ,exception ,if it is not feasible for the attorney general of a ,state to provide the notification required by clause 7i7 before initiating a civil action under paragraph 7#a71 the attorney general shall notify the ,commission immediately upon instituting the civil action4 7,b7 ,intervention by the ,,ftc ,the ,federal ,trade ,commission may-- 7i7 intervene in any civil action brought by the attorney general of a ,state under paragraph 7#a72 and 7ii7 upon intervening1 be heard on all matters arising in the civil action1 and file petitions for appeal of a decision in the civil action4 7#c7 ,pending action by the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,if the ,federal ,trade ,commission institutes a civil action or an administrative action with respect to a violation of subsection 7a71 the attorney general of a ,state may not1 during the pendency of such action1 bring a civil action under paragraph 7#a7 against any defendant named in the complaint of the ,commission for the violation with respect to which the ,commission instituted such action4 7d7 ,prohibition on enforcement of agency penalties 7#a7 ,in general ,an agency may not enforce any agency penalty 7including for a loan1 an application deadline1 or other deadline7 for a violation that was the result of a lapse in appropriations for that agency4 ,an agency shall extend any such deadline to expire #cj days after the date on which there is no longer a lapse in such appropriations4 ,this prohibition does not create any private right of action4 7#b7 ,applicability ,any agency that enforced a penalty during the period beginning one year before the date of the enactment of this ,act and ending on the date of the enactment of this ,act shall reverse and nullify any such enforcement to the greatest extent possible4 7e7 ,agency guidance ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the head of each agency shall issue guidance on how that agency-- 7#a7 will not enforce any penalties occurring as a result of a lapse in appropriations for that agency1 including financial1 administrative1 and any deadline missed2 and 7#b7 will notify the public about the guidance issued pursuant to this subsection4 7f7 ,agency defined ,the term agency has the meaning given that term in section #eea of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4