,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dceb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april #ba1    
#bjbf,ms4 ,cortez ,masto 7for herself   
and ,mr4 ,lujn7 introduced the following
 bill2 which was read twice and referred
 to the ,committee on ,commerce1        
,science1 and ,transportation  ,a ,,bill
  ,to require the ,federal ,trade       
,commission to conduct a study on       
conduct related to oil and gas prices1  
and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,fair and ,transparent ,gas ,prices ,act
 of #bjbf4  #b4 ,,ftc ,study on ,conduct
 ,related to ,oil and ,gas ,prices  7a7 
,study ,the ,federal ,trade ,commission 
7in this section referred to as the     
,commission71 in coordination with      
,state attorneys general1 as            
appropriate1 shall conduct a study1     
using the ,commission's authority under 
section #f7;b7 of the ,federal ,trade   
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         
#df7;b771 to investigate                

anti-competitive1 collusive1 or other   
conduct related to oil and gas companies
 and markets1 including the actual price
 of oil and gas paid by consumers4 ,such
 study shall include an analysis of--   
7#a7 whether such oil and gas companies 
use their financial resources in a      
manner that would not expand or increase
 fuel supply1 including by reducing     
investments in the production of fuel1  
engaging in stock buy backs1 or any     
other conduct the ,commission deems     
appropriate2 and  7#b7 whether such     
anti-competitive1 collusive1 or other   
conduct may-- 7,a7 result in inflated   
costs for consumers or be considered    
price gouging2  7,b7 delay producing or 
delivering more fuel supply2  7,c7      
impact investment decisions that would  
contribute to additional fuel supply2 or
  7,d7 restrict the availability1       
accessibility1 or affordability of      
alternative fuels or vehicle technology4
  7b7 ,report  7#a7 ,in general ,not    
later than #a year after the date of    

enactment of this ,act1 and annually    
thereafter for the following #b years1  
the ,commission shall submit to the     
appropriate committees of ,congress a   
report containing the results of the    
study conducted under subsection 7a71   
together with recommendations for such  
legislation and administrative action as
 the ,commission determines appropriate 
or necessary to provide fair1           
competitive1 and transparent costs and  
markets impacting consumers with respect
 to oil and gas4  7#b7 ,appropriate     
committees of ,congress ,in this        
subsection1 the term appropriate        
committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the
 ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and 
,transportation of the ,senate2  7,b7   
the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural  
,resources of the ,senate2  7,c7 the    
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of  
the ,house of ,representatives2 and     
7,d7 the ,subcommittees on ,financial   
,services and ,general ,government of   
the ,committees on ,appropriations of   

the ,house of ,representatives and the  
,senate4  7c7 ,inapplicability of       
paperwork reduction act ,chapter #ce of 
title #dd1 ,united ,states ,code        
7commonly known as the ,paperwork       
,reduction ,act71 shall not apply to the
 collection of information under        
subsection 7a74  7d7 ,additional ,,ftc  
resources  7#a7 ,additional personnel   
,notwithstanding any other provision of 
law1 the ,commission shall1 without     
regard to the civil service laws        
7including regulations71 appoint not    
more than #ej additional personnel1 as  
necessary1 for the purposes of carrying 
out the study and report required under 
this section4  7#b7 ,authorization of   
appropriations ,there are authorized to 
be appropriated to the ,commission to   
carry out this section #ae1jjj1jjj for  
each of fiscal years #bjbg and #bjbh4