,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #cegf  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #bd1 #bjbj,ms4    
,klobu*> 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,blum5?al1 ,ms4
 ,hirono1 & ,ms4 ,cortez ,ma/o7         
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 & ,transportation  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to cl>ify t ! ,f$]al ,trade   
,commission ,act prohibits excessive &  
unju/ifi$ price increases 9 ! sale (    
c]ta9 products & s]vices :5 an em]g5cy  
or disa/] results 9 abnormal disruptions
 ( ! m>ket1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort
 title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,disa/]
 & ,em]g5cy ,pric+ ,abuse ,prev5tion    
,act4  #b4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  
7a7 ,commission ,! t]m ,commission means
 ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission4  7b7      
,ess5tial goods or s]vices ,! t]m       
ess5tial goods or s]vices means goods or
 s]vices t may be us$ to pres]ve1       
protect1 or su/a9 ! heal?1 safety1 or   
welf>e ( memb]s ( ! public f pot5tial   
h>ms result+ f a natural disa/]1 a      

p&emic1 or ! circum/ances giv+ rise to a
 /ate ( em]g5cy4  7c7 ,natural disa/] ,!
 t]m natural disa/] means a disa/]1     
cata/rophe1 or em]g5cy1 includ+ flood1  
fire1 e>?quake1 /orm1 or o!r s]i\s act (
 nature1 :i* ?reat5s ! heal?1 safety1 or
 welf>e ( ! public4  7d7 ,p]son ,! t]m  
p]son means an individual or entity1 its
 directors1 (fic]s1 employees1 ag5ts1   
repres5tatives1 successors1 & assigns1  
includ+ any entity ! p]son controls1 & !
 respective directors1 (fic]s1          
employees1 ag5ts1 repres5tatives1       
successors1 & assigns ( ea*4  7e7 ,/ate 
( em]g5cy ,! t]m /ate ( em]g5cy means   
any /ate ( em]g5cy or disa/] decl>$ by !
 ,presid5t or by ! gov]nm5t ( any ,/ate 
or t]ritory ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7f7     
,unconscionably excessive price ,! t]m  
unconscionably excessive price means a  
price t repres5ts a gross disp>ity      
betwe5 ! price ( ! ess5tial good or     
s]vice t is ! subject ( an (f] or       
transaction dur+1 or 9 anticipation (1 a
 natural disa/]1 p&emic1 or /ate (      

em]g5cy & ! av]age price at :i* su*     
ess5tial good or s]vice 0 (f]$ 9 !      
ord9>y c\rse ( bus9ess prior to any     
public anticipation ( a natural disa/]1 
p&emic1 or /ate ( em]g5cy4  #c4 ,f$]al  
,trade ,commission en=cem5t aga9/ price 
g\g+  7a7 ,violation ,sell+1 or (f]+ =  
sale1 ess5tial goods & s]vices1 9 or    
affect+ comm]ce1 at an unconscionably   
excessive price dur+1 or 9 anticipation 
(1 a natural disa/]1 p&emic1 or /ate (  
em]g5cy1 %all con/itute an unfair or    
deceptive act or practice "u section    
#e7;a7 ( ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission    
,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #de7;a774  7b7      
,civil action  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,if !      
,commission has reason to believe t !re 
has be5 a violation ( section #e7;a7 ( !
 ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae    
,u4,s4,c4 #de7;a77 "u subsection 7a7 (  
?is section1 ! ,commission may comm5ce a
 civil action to recov] a civil p5alty &
 seek o!r appropriate relief 9 a di/rict
 c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#b7          
,presumption ,9 a civil action "u       

p>agraph 7#a71 ! price ( an ess5tial    
good or s]vice %all be presum$ to be an 
unconscionably excessive price if !     
price *>g$ or (f]$ by ! def5dant dur+1  
or 9 anticipation (1 a natural disa/]1  
p&emic1 or /ate ( em]g5cy1 exce$$ by #bj
 p]c5t ! great] (-- 7,a7 ! av]age price 
*>g$ by ! def5dant = ! ess5tial good or 
s]vice dur+ ! prec$+ #fj days be=e !    
public c\ld reasonably h anticipat$ !   
natural disa/]1 p&emic1 or /ate (       
em]g5cy2 or  7,b7 ! av]age price at :i* 
buy]s c\ld obta9 su* good or s]vice or  
simil> goods or s]vices 9 ! geographic  
area dur+ ! #fj-;day p]iod be=e ! date  
on :i* ! public c\ld reasonably h       
anticipat$ ! natural disa/]1 p&emic1 or 
/ate ( em]g5cy1  unless ! price *>g$ by 
! def5dant is attributable to price     
increases 9 relat$ input m>kets or to   
additional exp5ses n )9 ! control ( !   
def5dant t increas$ ! def5dant's co/s to
 furni% ! ess5tial goods or s]vices4    
7#c7 ,civil p5alty ,9 an action "u      
p>agraph 7#a71 any p]son t has be5 f\nd 

liable = a violation ( section #e7;a7 ( 
! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae   
,u4,s4,c4 #de7;a77 "u subsection 7a7 (  
?is section %all be subject to a civil  
p5alty ( an am\nt no great] ?an #aj1jjj 
p] violation4  7#d7 ,rule ( con/ruction 
,! civil p5alty provid$ 9 ?is subsection
 is 9 addition to1 & n 9 lieu (1 any o!r
 rem$ies provid$ by ,f$]al law1 includ+ 
injunctive relief "u section #ac7;b7 ( !
 ,f$]al ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae    
,u4,s4,c4 #ec7;b774 ,no?+ 9 ?is p>agraph
 %all be con/ru$ to affect any au?ority 
( ! ,commission "u any o!r provision (  
law4  #d4 ,price g\g+ hotl9e ,!         
,commission %all e/abli% a telephone    
hotl9e & an onl9e portal d$icat$ solely 
to receiv+ price g\g+ compla9ts f !     
public1 :i* %all be activat$ 9          
anticipation ( or dur+ major disa/]s or 
/ates ( em]g5cy & %all rema9 op]ational 
until #abj days aft] ! conclusion ( su* 
major disa/]s or /ates ( em]g5cy4  #e4  
,no preemption ( ,/ate law ,no?+ 9 ?is  
,act preempts any ,/ate law4