,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #chfb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #b1      
#bjbj,mr4 ,gardner 7for himself1 ,ms4   
,sinema1 and ,mrs4 ,capito7 introduced  
the following bill2 which was read twice
 and referred to the ,committee on      
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to increase the penalties 
applicable under the ,federal ,trade    
,commission ,act during the ,,covid-#ai 
emergency1 and for other purposes4  #a4 
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,combating ,egregious ,advertising  
through ,sentencing ,enhancement ,act or
 the ,,cease ,act4  #b4 ,definitions ,in
 this ,act3 7#a7 ,commission ,the term  
,commission means the ,federal ,trade   
,commission4  7#b7 ,,covid-#ai emergency
 period ,the term ,,covid-#ai emergency 
period means the period that-- 7,a7     
begins on the date of enactment of this 
,act2 and  7,b7 ends on the last day of 
the public health emergency described in
 section #aace7;g77#a77;,b7 of the      

,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#acbj;b-#e7;g77#a77;,b774  #c4          
,increasing the penalty for false       
advertising during the ,,covid-#ai      
emergency period ,notwithstanding       
section #ad7;a7 of the ,federal ,trade  
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         
#ed7;a771 any person1 partnership1 or   
corporation who violates any provision  
of section #ab7;a7 of such ,act 7#ae    
,u4,s4,c4 #eb7;a77 during the           
,,covid-#ai emergency period shall--    
7#a7 for a first offense1 be guilty of a
 misdemeanor and upon conviction shall  
be punished by a fine of not more than  
#ej1jjj or by imprisonment for not more 
than #a year1 or both such fine and     
imprisonment2 and  7#b7 for a second or 
subsequent offense1 be guilty of a      
felony and upon conviction shall be     
punished by a fine of not more than     
#bej1jjj or by imprisonment for not less
 than #a year and not more than #e      
years1 or both such fine and            
imprisonment4  #d4 ,increasing the      

penalty for unfair methods of           
competition and unfair or deceptive acts
 or practices during the ,,covid-#ai    
emergency period ,notwithstanding       
subsections 7l71 7m77#a77;,a71 and      
7m77#a77;,b7 of section #e of the       
,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#db   
,u4,s4,c4 #de71 any penalties that are  
applicable under such subsections with  
respect to conduct occurring during the 
,,covid-#ai emergency period shall be   
increased-- 7#a7 for a first offense1 to
 #ej1jjj2 and  7#b7 for a second or     
subsequent offense1 to #bej1jjj4  #e4   
,prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or
 practices relating to ,,covid-#ai      
during the ,,covid-#ai emergency period 
7a7 ,in general ,during the ,,covid-#ai 
emergency period1 it shall be unlawful  
for any person1 partnership1 or         
corporation to engage in an unfair or   
deceptive act or practice in or         
affecting commerce that-- 7#a7 violates 
section #e7;a7 of the ,federal ,trade   
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         

#de7;a772 and  7#b7 relates to the      
,,covid-#ai pandemic4  7b7 ,enforcement 
7#a7 ,unfair or deceptive acts or       
practices ,a violation of this section  
shall be treated as a violation of a    
rule defining an unfair or deceptive act
 or practice prescribed under section   
#ah7;a77#a77;,b7 of the ,federal ,trade 
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         
#eg;a7a77#a77;,b774  7#b7 ,powers of the
 commission  7,a7 ,in general ,the      
,commission shall enforce this section  
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 section4  7,b7      
,privileges and immunities ,any person  
who violates this section shall be      
subject to the penalties and entitled to
 the privileges and immunities provided 
in the ,federal ,trade ,commission ,act4
  7,c7 ,effect on other laws ,nothing in

 this ,act shall be construed to limit  
the authority of the ,commission under  
any other provision of law4  #f4 ,rule  
of construction ,nothing in this ,act   
shall be construed to limit or enhance  
the authority of the ,commission 7other 
than with respect to the penalties that 
the ,commission may seek under the      
,federal ,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae   
,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq47 for conduct      
occurring during the ,,covid-#ai        
emergency period7 under any other       
provision of law4